Long COVID is a condition that many COVID-19 survivors have experienced amid the pandemic.
People who contract COVID-19 recover within a few days or weeks. But, this does not apply to everyone as some individuals experience lingering symptoms. It is a condition, which the public has since dubbed as “long COVID.”
The World Health Organization estimated that ten to 20 percent of COVID-19 patients experienced this amid the pandemic. The prolonged symptoms vary but they include breathlessness, persistent fatigue, brain fog, and even depression.
On Wednesday, the health agency published the “formal definition” of the condition. The experts are also referring to it as “post COVID-19 condition,” according to Gizmodo.
The definition of “Long COVID”
The World Health Organization defines “long COVID” as a condition that occurs in people with “a history of probable or confirmed” COVID-19 infection. It also notes that the state takes place usually three months from the onset of the contraction.
The symptoms involved include shortness of breath, fatigue, and cognitive dysfunction or brain fog. Individuals may suffer from these either following initial recovery or initial infection.
But, before making a formal diagnosis, the symptoms should have lasted for at least two months. Moreover, no other alternative diagnosis could fit the case.
Delphi consensus under the WHO
The World Health Organization conducted a Delphi consensus to come up with the criteria. Reports said that it calls for all input from relevant individuals in the field.
As noted, the health agency reached out to people in 44 countries across all regions under its vicinity. These include in-house staff, patients, researchers, and outside experts.
Following the publication of the clinical case definition of Long COVID, the WHO urged the public to adopt the criteria as a global standard. Its officials and experts stressed, however, that these matters may still change over time.
A “step forward” as per experts
On Wednesday, Dr. Mike Ryan of the WHO’s Health Emergencies Program, shared a few notes about the post COVID-19 condition. He stated that it “has been a major issue” for the agency owing to various reasons.
The World Health Organization previously revealed that it has taken a long time to resolve the condition’s formal definition, according to CNBC. As explained, this is because of the numerous symptoms that have links to it.
Dr. Mike Ryan, then, emphasized that the agency’s understanding of Long COVID was “evolving, and therefore likely to change” as time passes by. Nevertheless, he described the definition of the condition as a “great step forward.”
Images courtesy of DW News/YouTube