long COVID

noun

variants or less commonly long COVID-19 or long-haul COVID or long-haul COVID-19

: a condition that is marked by the presence of symptoms (such as fatigue, cough, shortness of breath, headache, or brain fog) which persist for an extended period of time (such as weeks or months) following a person's initial recovery from COVID-19 infection : post-covid syndrome

The sickest COVID-19 patients are not the only ones to suffer from long COVID. Patients who had a milder initial case that didn't result in hospitalization can also have persistent symptoms.

—Stephanie LaVergne

Because of the growing number of long COVID patients, more hospitals are creating outpatient clinics with multiple specialists or expanding centers that initially focused only on patients leaving intensive care units.

—Meredith Cohn

Ceresa is one of a growing number of COVID-19 survivors with serious symptoms that last far beyond the acute infection with the virus. Some of these patients, often referred to as 'long-haulers' or people with long COVID-19 … are receiving treatment at … clinics like the one at Mount Sinai.

—Kevin Loria

… long-haul COVID-19 refers to the ongoing adverse health effects of coronavirus infection, which can last for weeks, and even months, after the initial phase of their illness has passed.

—Eve Glazier and Elizabeth Ko

Examples of long COVID in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There is no universal definition, but the Mayo Clinic suggests that common symptoms of long COVID include extreme tiredness, brain fog, dizziness, shortness of breath, headaches, and digestion problems. —Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Aug. 2025

The best way to avoid long COVID is by not contracting COVID in the first place. —Elizabeth Yuko, Flow Space, 31 July 2025

Research shows that treatment can reduce the risk of long COVID by up to 40%, according to Sood. —Jenna Anderson, Health, 26 June 2025

Even at 37 years old, on the downswing of his career — and even coming back from chronic inflammatory response syndrome and symptoms of long COVID — this is a job Toews might succeed in. —Murat Ates, New York Times, 21 June 2025

As of 2023, more than 1 million U.S. children may have been affected by long COVID at some point, a CDC study published in February found. —Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 29 May 2025

Additionally, vaccination is associated with a lower risk of long COVID, Baute says. —Elizabeth Yuko, Flow Space, 31 July 2025

The same thing happens in people with long COVID who experience immune dysfunction, persistent immune cell activation, and autoimmune antibody production. —Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 15 July 2025

For guests recovering from long COVID, fatigue, or burnout, this becomes a key part of the therapy. —Nel-Olivia Waga, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

2020, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

long COVID

noun

variants also long COVID-19

: a condition that is marked by the presence of symptoms which persist for an extended period of time following a person's initial recovery from COVID-19 infection

Medical Definition

long COVID

noun

variants also long COVID-19 or long-haul COVID or long-haul COVID-19

: a condition that is marked by the presence of symptoms (such as fatigue, cough, shortness of breath, headache, or brain fog) which persist for an extended period of time (such as weeks or months) following a person's initial recovery from COVID-19 infection : post-covid syndrome

… there's no clear way to diagnose long COVID and no standard treatment protocol. Some long haulers feel better after a couple of weeks following the initial infection, but then fall ill to old or even new disease-related symptoms that may affect multiple organs and systems weeks or months later. For others … their symptoms never fully abate after the initial infection; they just linger.

—Melba Newsome, Charlotte (North Carolina) Observer

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is set to release interim guidance for physicians treating patients with long COVID-19 …

—Congressional Quarterly News

… long-haul COVID-19 refers to the ongoing adverse health effects of coronavirus infection, which can last for weeks, and even months, after the initial phase of their illness has passed.

—Eve Glazier and Elizabeth Ko, Chicago Daily Herald

Long-haul COVID patients tend to exhibit the kinds of symptoms about which disability case reviewers have historically been skeptical, if not downright hostile. These include chronic fatigue, nonspecific body and nerve pain, headaches and persistent confusion known as "brain fog."

—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times