Helping Patients Get Back to Life after COVID-19
Long COVID Referral Pathways
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What is Long COVID / Post COVID-19 Condition
The World Health Organization defines Long COVID / Post COVID-19 Condition as:
“Post COVID-19 condition occurs in individuals with a history of probable or confirmed SARS CoV-2 infection, usually 3 months from the onset of COVID-19 with symptoms and that last for at least 2 months and cannot be explained by an alternative diagnosis. Common symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, cognitive dysfunction but also others and generally have an impact on everyday functioning. Symptoms may be new onset following initial recovery from an acute COVID-19 episode or persist from the initial illness. Symptoms may also fluctuate or relapse over time.”
A positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test or rapid antigen test (RAT) is not required for a diagnosis of post COVID-19 condition or referral for interdisciplinary care.
Symptoms of post COVID-19 condition are similar to many other health conditions. Acute medical issues need to be ruled out prior to making a diagnosis of post COVID-19 condition. The most common symptoms experienced by post COVID-19 condition are:
- brain fog, trouble with memory and concentration
- sleep problems
- feeling very weak and tired (fatigue)
- shortness of breath
- mental health conditions (depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder)
- Change in appetite
- gut problems (diarrhea, constipation, nausea and vomiting)
- cough that won’t go away
- loss of taste/altered taste (ageusia/dysgeusia)
- headaches
- feeling dizzy (vertigo)
- ringing in your ears (tinnitus)
- changes to your vision
- fever
- loss of smell/distorted smell (anosmia/parosmia)
- changes to your hearing
- problems with swallowing (dysphagia)
- heart palpitations
- stuffy nose
- sore throat
- muscle and joint pain
- skin rash
The COVID-19 Yorkshire Rehab Screen (C19-YRS)-Manitoba is a straightforward tool that assesses the impact of multiple post COVID-19 condition symptoms on a person’s daily function and life. The results of the C19-YRS can be used to guide self-management or further referral to health-care services. More information on the C19-YRS is found in our Assessing Recovery Needs section.
Material adapted from MyHealth.Alberta.ca.