Central California Alliance for Health | Living Healthy | September 2021

Most people who become infected with the coronavirus feel better in 2 to 6 weeks, but some do not. Health problems that last longer than 4 weeks after a person is infected are called “post-COVID conditions” by the CDC. You may hear terms like “long COVID” or “long-hauler” to describe this experience. These health troubles can last for weeks or months and may be very different than how you felt when you were originally sick. Other people say they were feeling better for a while, then started feeling worse. And others say they just do not feel like themselves. Feeling these symptoms for such a long time may feel scary. You may wonder, “Why am I still out of breath? Why am I still tired and coughing after months? Am I ever going to get better?” If you had COVID-19 and are having any of these problems, tell your doctor. Make sure the doctor knows you had COVID-19. There are ways to help manage or treat your symptoms, and support is available. Experts are working hard to understand why and how long COVID happens. One common theory is that some people have a small amount of the virus that stays in their body for a long time. It is also possible that even after the infection has passed, the body is still reacting very, very strongly. The best way to avoid these long- term complications is to prevent infection with the coronavirus. Even if you had COVID-19 in the past, doctors recommend getting the COVID-19 vaccine for you and your loved ones to stay protected. Long COVID can happen to anyone who had the coronavirus. Your illness may have been mild. Or maybe you originally had no effects at all. Long COVID symptoms can be different for everyone and show up in different combinations. The most common long-lasting problems that may continue for 4 or more weeks are: ■ Feeling very tired. ■ Trouble breathing. ■ Cough. ■ Chest pain. ■ Headache. ■ Trouble thinking clearly, focusing or remembering. ■ Depression or anxiety. ■ Dizziness when standing up. ■ Problems with smell or taste. ■ Fast or pounding heartbeat. ■ Problems with sleep. ■ Painful joints or muscles. ■ Fever that comes and goes. ■ Diarrhea. ■ Symptoms that get worse after physical or mental activities. Long-term effects of COVID-19 2 Living Healthy