Long COVID-19

Abstract

The term “long COVID-19” describes the long-term effects of the novel coronavirus infection COVID-19. Patients with severe COVID-19 who require hospitalization, as well as those who are on outpatient treatment with mild clinical forms of the disease, often report persistent fatigue, shortness of breath, pain, cough and other respiratory and extrapulmonary symptoms for weeks and months. The generally accepted time frame that separates the duration of the acute and subacute phase of infection from the long COVID-19 is 28 days. The article describes the duration and the course of clinical disorders caused by COVID-19 and their persisting after the end of the acute phase of the disease. In addition, the current understanding of the causes of long-term consequences and the possibilities of drug and non-pharmacological correction are presented.