"One study states that about 10% of people who’ve had COVID-19 will experience prolonged symptoms one, two or even three months after they were infected. One of the most frustrating parts? There seems to be no consistent reason for this to happen.
This group, which many refer to as “long-haulers,” is mixed with those who experienced both mild and severe cases. And this condition can effect anyone – young, old, those who were healthy, those who had a chronic condition, those who were hospitalized and those who weren’t. "
Cleveland Clinic: What It Means to Be a Coronavirus “Long-Hauler”
"Q: What is the average age of a long-hauler?
A. At this point we can’t determine the average age or predict who may have long-term symptoms. There is a mix of relativity young, healthy people who we’re seeing in this long-term group as well as older individuals. Hospitals are still working to analyze the data about this group and a lot of collaboration and research is happening.
Q: What symptoms do coronavirus long-haulers typically experience?
A: Long-lasting symptoms often include: coughing, tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, headaches, muscle aches and diarrhea. But perhaps the most significant symptom that is being seen across the board in coronavirus long-haulers is fatigue. Often times this group feels very run down and tired. They can’t exert themselves or exercise and simple tasks (like walking to the mailbox) will often leave them feeling exhausted. Chronic fatigue like we’re seeing in this group can be incredibly debilitating and frustrating. Many long-haulers also report brain fog, difficultly concentrating or feel like they aren’t as sharp as they used to be.
Q: Are coronavirus long-haulers still contagious?
A: It’s not very likely, but it’s a sticky question to answer. Typically after having an active infection like COVID-19, the contagiousness goes away after a week or so and you start to recover. We less commonly see persistent fevers in this group, which hints that they probably aren’t infectious months later, but it can vary. The vast majority of long-haulers test negative for COVID-19, despite lingering symptoms. We define a long-hauler as still having some sort of symptom 28 days or later after they were first infected.
Q: How are healthcare providers treating and managing coronavirus long-haulers?
A: Many health systems are starting to streamline care for this group of patients. Long-haulers should go through testing involving behavioral, pulmonary, respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological health. From there a care path and treatment is recommended and a team of providers will monitor the patient moving forward. It’s also important to drink fluids to stay hydrated, rest, focus on sleep, manage stress and eat well.
There is a lot of collaboration and research happening as more data is collected and we start to piece together the long-term effects of COVID-19 on the body. The team is there to identify symptoms that worsen and get them to the right level of care. We’re also seeing that depression and anxiety are big issues for these long-haulers, so checking in to see how they’re doing is another important aspect in the monitoring program."
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