Having COVID-19 is hard. And if you or a loved one has long-term health effects after COVID-19, you may need help to manage them. You’re not alone. There is support for you as you recover.

This resource can help you understand the effects of COVID-19 and cope with the health challenges you may have after COVID-19. It can also help you make a plan with your healthcare provider to improve your health and manage your symptoms. This is important as you recover, so you can get back to the things you need and want to do.

Who is this resource for?​

This resource is for people recovering from COVID-19 who are having ongoing health concerns. It’s also for anyone who is caring for a person recovering from COVID-19.

What is long COVID?

Recovering from COVID-19 is different for everyone, no matter your age or your health. Some people feel better in a few weeks. For others, it takes months. Long COVID is when you still have symptoms months after being diagnosed with the virus.

Research about long COVID is happening, and there’s still a lot we don’t know.

When should I call my healthcare provider?

Recovering from COVID-19 is different for everyone. It’s important to contact your healthcare provider if you:

• are worried about your recovery
  
• feel short of breath and it’s not getting better, no matter what you try
• feel very short of breath doing things that are normally easy for you
• find that your attention, memory, thinking, or energy levels are not getting better
• have symptoms that make it very hard or that stop you from doing your regular daily activities (like caring for yourself or going back to work or school)
• feel depressed, anxious, or stressed and this feeling isn’t getting better

If it’s a medical emergency, call 911 right away. This includes:

• serious trouble breathing (struggling for each breath, only able to say 1 word at a time)
• very bad chest pain
• having a hard time waking up
• feeling very confused
• passing out or fainting​
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