The coronavirus diagnosis may have long-term effects on some people. Those who are experiencing ongoing complications or side effects of COVID-19 have what is now commonly referred to as long-haul syndrome,  post-COVID condition, or long COVID, and these people are called long-haulers.*

Long-haul symptoms are found to occur in 10-20% of people who have had a COVID-19 diagnosis and involve prolonged symptoms for several months. They’ve been reported to have had both mild and severe cases of initial COVID-19 infection—affecting the young, old, healthy, and those with chronic conditions. 

Unfortunately, studies can’t find a commonality among the reported long-haulers, so it’s hard to know what the risk factors or causes are. Dr. Christopher Babiuch, a family medicine provider, answered common questions about his observations when patients present with long-term symptoms, which he defines as being 28 days or more, after recovering from coronavirus. 

Do most long-haulers have underlying or chronic medical conditions?

According to Dr. Babiuch, he believes they might—but explains that it’s too soon to say. Long-haulers oftentimes fall in high-risk categories, but findings show that it’s occurring in those who are healthy, as well.

What symptoms do coronavirus long-haulers typically experience?

Long-lasting symptoms often include:

• Fatigue
• Coughing
• Chest tightness
• Shortness of breath
• Headaches
• Muscle aches
• Diarrhea

Fatigue is the most common symptom in long-haulers, causing them to feel very run down and tired. Exercising and even simple tasks, such as walking to the mailbox, are leaving many long-haulers exhausted.

Aside from debilitating chronic fatigue, many are also reporting:

• Brain fog
• Difficulty concentrating
• Not feeling as sharp as they used to be

Are coronavirus long-haulers still contagious?

It’s not likely, according to Dr. Babiuch. Oftentimes, with an active infection of COVID-19, the contagiousness dissipates after a week or so and recovery begins, he explains. Persistent fevers have not been contagious in the long-hauler group. Therefore, he believes that they are probably not infectious months later, but it can vary. Despite persistent symptoms, long-haulers usually test negative for COVID-19.

Why are some people experiencing long-lasting symptoms and others aren’t?

Since COVID-19 activates an inflammatory response in the body, many other symptoms related to inflammation can arise. Why it occurs in only some people is unknown, however, and is something research should explore. Dr. Babiuch hopes that we can understand any long-term effects that COVID-19 has on the kidneys, lungs, and heart, and explains that this information does not yet exist as the virus is still new.

If someone is experiencing symptoms months after testing positive for COVID-19 (or if they believed they had it in the past), what should they do?

If someone has tested positive over 28 days ago and is experiencing persistent COVID-19-related symptoms, they should contact their doctor as soon as possible.

How are healthcare providers treating and managing coronavirus long-haulers?

Many healthcare entities are beginning to provide specific care for COVID-19 long-haulers. This may involve testing of behavioral, pulmonary, respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological health. Taking into account any findings, an individualized treatment plan will be recommended by a team of providers. 

Dr. Babiuch recommends that patients hydrate, rest, and make sleep a priority, as well as manage stress and eat healthy to combat the virus. He has also seen that depression and anxiety are very common in long-haulers, so physicians must ask about patients’ mental health when dealing with long-haul symptoms.

Should long-haulers still get the COVID-19 vaccine?

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that vaccines should not be withheld from those with a prior infection of COVID-19, regardless if they’re experiencing symptoms or not.

It’s important to contact your doctor if you’re still feeling unwell several weeks after your COVID-19 diagnosis. In the meantime, stay hopeful and know that researchers are actively studying the long-term effects of the coronavirus. From their research, we learn more every day about how to best guide healthcare professionals in disease management for COVID long-haulers.

*Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic. (2021, Jan. 28). What It Means to Be a Coronavirus “Long-Hauler.” https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-it-means-to-be-a-coronavirus-long-hauler/

Much about the novel coronavirus, i.e., COVID-19, is still not fully understood. As research progresses and our knowledge of the virus increases, information can change rapidly. We strive to update all of our articles as quickly as possible, but there may occasionally be some lag between scientific developments and our revisions.