For many people who do contract Covid, it’s a mild illness which they recover from in a few weeks – but for others the effects can linger for months afterwards.

Covid-19 cases are on the rise once again in the UK, with 7,143 more cases recorded on Tuesday – the highest ever recorded in the country. The nation has now seen 446,156 infections since the start of the pandemic, while the death toll stands at 42,072 after another 71 people were confirmed on Tuesday to have died with the virus. For many people who do contract Covid, it’s a mild illness which they recover from in a few weeks – but for others the effects can linger for months afterwards. Just what are the long-term effects of the virus? What are the long-term effects of Covid? People suffering from the long-term effects of Covid have reported a range of symptoms including fatigue, breathlessness, joint pain, muscle aches, and in some cases issues with memory loss, problems with concentration, and depression as well as other mental health problems. The World Health Organisation has said that other symptoms which may persist include nausea and diarrhoea, chest or abdominal pain and confusion – as well as loss of taste or smell. They have said that although little is known about the clinical course of Covid-19 in those who experience milder illness, a phone survey of affected adults who had tested positive reported that 35% of them were still experiencing some symptoms two or three weeks after testing for the virus. Among those aged 18-34 with no underlying health issues, around one in five experienced some prolonged symptoms. The WHO has said that risk factors for longer symptoms include obesity, high blood pressure and mental health conditions. In addition to this, Covid could increase the risk of long-term health problems including damage to the heart muscle, lung damage, joint and muscle pain, cognitive impairment, and heart attacks or strokes, as well as increasing the risk of anxiety, depression, PTSD and insomnia. World Health Organisation announce production of rapid Covid-19 tests However the WHO has also stressed that people who suffer lingering effects of Covid will not be infectious to others during this time. The recovery time for a mild infection is estimated to be around two weeks, while those who suffer a severe form of the virus can take up to six weeks to recover. The support group Long Covid has stated on its website that it’s estimated up to 10% of people who have the virus take three weeks or more to recover.

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