Many people who have contracted coronavirus experience lingering symptoms that can hang around for months after initially falling ill.
More than a million people in the UK were experiencing self-reported Long Covid as of December 6, 2021, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Those affected are reporting a huge spectrum of problems, including severe fatigue, breathlessness, muscle aches and joint pain.
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Symptoms can also change and come and go over time.
Anyone who is worried about coronavirus side effects four or more weeks after first testing positive is advised to see their GP.
They will assess you to see if there's anything else that could be causing your symptoms.
If symptoms are severe, further investigations – including blood tests, chest x-rays and ECGs – may need to be be performed.
What are the most common Long Covid symptoms?
According to the NHS, those experienced most often include:
- extreme tiredness (fatigue)
- shortness of breath
- chest pain or tightness
- problems with memory and concentration ("brain fog")
- difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
- heart palpitations
- dizziness
- pins and needles
- joint pain
- depression and anxiety
- tinnitus, earaches
- feeling sick, diarrhoea, stomach aches, loss of appetite
- a high temperature, cough, headaches, sore throat, changes to sense of smell or taste
- rashes
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said symptoms will "generally have an impact on everyday functioning".
It also said: "There is no minimal number of symptoms required for the diagnosis, though symptoms involving different organs systems and clusters have been described. "
Will the vaccine affect Long Covid?
Data from the ZOE Symptom Covid Study has shown that being double vaccinated halves the risk of developing Long Covid, though there is less evidence about whether it can help people who already have the condition.
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