About COVID-19 | Symptoms | Long COVID | High-Risk People | Prevention | Testing | Treatment
Most people with COVID-19 feel better within a few days or weeks of their first symptoms and make a full recovery within 12 weeks. For some people, symptoms can last longer. This is called long COVID or post COVID-19 syndrome.1
Over 200 different symptoms have been reported by people with long COVID. The most common symptoms of long COVID are:
Extreme tiredness (fatigue)
Feeling short of breath
Problems with your memory and concentration ("brain fog")
Heart palpitations
Dizziness
Joint pain and muscle aches
Other symptoms may include:1
Loss of smell
Chest pain or tightness
Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
Pins and needles
Depression and anxiety
Tinnitus, earaches
Feeling sick, diarrhoea, stomach aches, loss of appetite
Cough, headaches, sore throat, changes to sense of smell or taste
Rashes
Symptoms of long COVID generally improve over time, typically 4-9 months.2
A lot is still being learned about long COVID. But there are things you can do to help with the symptoms, such as:1
Sticking to the same sleep times everyday
Avoiding drinking too much alcohol
Eating a balanced diet
Trying small amounts of exercise, such as short walks
Keeping a diary of your day, how you slept, and your symptoms can help you understand if anything is making your symptoms worse
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