Long COVID – what should general practice nurses be doing?

As the number of people being vaccinated against coronavirus increases and we begin to see a light at the end of the coronavirus tunnel, the spectre of long COVID is likely to be the next COVID-related issue to impact on the NHS.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) defines post-COVID syndrome (also known as long COVID) as a cluster of signs and symptoms that develop during or following an infection consistent with COVID-19 and which continue for more than 12 weeks.¹ Symptoms may include generalised pain, fatigue, persisting high temperature and psychiatric problems but these may change over time and may affect any system within the body.