WHO has released its first official report on the definition of post Covid-19 to advance research and to help diagnose individuals better. Although patients of Covid 19 recover from the initial  infection, a percentage of up to 10 -20 experience new, lingering symptoms for weeks or months which the WHO has officially defined as LONG COVID, a report first published last month OCT.25th.

On 31st December, 2019 – Chinese authorities were convinced of a pneumonia outbreak and alerted the World Health Organization of multiple cases in Wuhan city, Hubei province, China with an uncertain cause. After they discovered it wasn’t pneumonia as earlier cited, through various research attempts, this outbreak was first called; 2019-nCOV an31, 2019, Chinese on Dec.31,2019 and then conclusively as we all have known the virus to be called today – COVID -19.

Corona virus disease 2019 ( COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2(SARS COV-2). Symptoms of the virus may begin 7-14 days after exposure to the virus. Common symptoms include headache, loss of smell and taste, nasal congestion and cough, muscle pain, sore throat, fever, diarrhea, and breathing difficulties. People with the same infection may have different symptoms, and their symptoms may change over time.

Prior research showed that it would take one two weeks to recover full body health for mild infection, or up to 6 weeks for critical instances. Recent research however, showed that recovery varies for different people , depending on things like; age and overall personal health.

When people recover from SARS, some people continue to experience a range of effects for weeks or months. Many people have gone a head to develop chronic fatigue syndrome – a complex disorder characterized by extreme fatigue that worsens with physical or mental activity, but doesn’t improve with rest. The same is for the people that recover from COVID-19.

Post COVID19 effects may include those on organs; the lungs being majorly affected even after recovery. Complications may also include; pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS), multi-organ failure, septic shock, and death. The common three effects however are, shortness of breath, cognitive dysfunction, which people call brain fog, as well as fatigue.

However, there has been more than 200 symptoms that actually have been reported in patients – says WHO. So other symptoms that patients or people may experience include things such as chest pain, trouble speaking, some anxiety, depression, muscle aches, fever, loss of smell, loss of taste.

How long this situation (long Covid) would take hasn’t been completely known but from a few cases, as long as 3 months, some 6 months, others up to 9 months – feed back given by the WHO when the public asked in a question and answer session dubbed, “Science in 5”.

In regards to the treatment of the LONG COVID situation, there is not a one-fit all measure/type of treatment yet since research on the reasons for LONG COVID is not conclusive yet.

The patients with these Long Covid symptoms as some put above should see medical care and the general advise is if one has been infected by the virus and recovered but begins to feel anything out of the usual, please seek medical help, citing your primary treatment.

The WHO also advises vaccination as one of the ways that may help reduce LONG COVID.

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