Post COVID-19 condition
On this page
About
When people still show symptoms of COVID-19 for weeks or months after their initial recovery, it’s called post COVID-19 condition. It’s also known as long COVID.
Post COVID-19 condition may occur in some people after infection. You can get post COVID-19 condition if you:
- were hospitalized or needed intensive care during recovery or
- had a mild to severe infection with symptoms or even mild infection without symptoms
You may experience symptoms even if you weren’t formally tested and diagnosed with COVID-19. This may have been due to limited testing capacity at the beginning of the pandemic.
Post COVID-19 condition is not COVID-19. Symptoms can be quite different from those during the initial infection. It refers to the longer-term effects some people experience after their COVID-19 illness.
The condition can affect both adults and children.
Symptoms
Adults
Post COVID-19 condition can affect people in different ways. The most common symptoms that we know of in adults include:
- fatigue
- memory problems
- sleep disturbances
- shortness of breath
- anxiety and depression
- general pain and discomfort
- difficulty thinking or concentrating
- posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
There have been reports of more than 100 symptoms or difficulties with everyday activities. About 80% of adults reported 1 or more symptoms in the short term (4 to 12 weeks after their initial COVID-19 infection).
About 60% reported 1 or more symptoms in the long term (more than 12 weeks after their initial COVID-19 infection). And 10% said that they were also unable to return to work in the long term.
Children
The most common symptoms that we know of in children include:
- fatigue
- headaches
- weight loss
- muscle pain
- sleep disturbances
- stuffy or runny nose
- difficulty thinking or concentrating
About 58% of children had 1 or more symptoms 4 weeks or more after their initial COVID-19 infection.
These symptoms can be mild to severe, and can sometimes disappear and reappear. Some patients report that over-exertion (both mental and physical) may make the condition worse.
Mental health
While it’s normal to feel a range of emotions at this time, some feelings or symptoms may indicate you or a loved one need help.
Talk to your health care provider if you think you may be experiencing symptoms of anxiety, depression or PTSD related to your illness. These professionals can help you get the support you need.
Prevention, diagnosis and treatment
We don’t know what causes post COVID-19 condition. The best way to prevent it is to take measures to prevent COVID-19, like getting vaccinated.
There's currently no single way to diagnose post COVID-19 condition. The World Health Organization is working to develop a diagnostic process for health care providers to follow.
There’s currently no treatment for post COVID-19 condition as a whole. If you think you have post COVID-19 condition, talk to your health care provider about how to manage your symptoms.
Learn more about:
- Vaccines for COVID-19: How to get vaccinated
- COVID-19: Individual public health measures to limit spread
What Canada’s doing
The Public Health Agency of Canada is reviewing published studies on post COVID-19 condition, including:
- which symptoms are most common
- examining its associated risk factors
- how to prevent it in people who were infected with COVID-19
- how many people are having difficulties with regular activities and daily living
We’re also looking at how to track cases of the condition and related symptoms in Canada, in partnership with:
- Statistics Canada
- academic organizations
- provinces and territories
We’re also working with other federal partners to gather evidence to support our research, like the:
- Canadian Institutes for Health Research
- Canadian Institute for Health Information
Related links
Publications and information
Report a problem or mistake on this page
- Date modified: