| With the acute illness phase of COVID, most patients recover within 6 weeks, but some patients' recovery may take months. |
| Some patients, particularly those who were very ill, may suffer lung, heart, and brain injuries with ongoing shortness of breath, reduced exercise capacity, fast or irregular heartbeat, problems thinking and remembering, and anxiety and depression. Together, these serious symptoms have been called "Long-COVID". Doctors can help control these problems. |
| Some other patients—how many we don't yet know—get better after COVID, and then weeks to months later develop new symptoms of fatigue and increased fatigue a day after physical or social over-exertion, non-restorative sleep, lack of motivation, headache, joint pains, depression, and new shortness of breath. These new symptoms, are also called "Long COVID", are real. |
| Advocacy by families and health professionals for recognition and care for long COVID is needed. |
