5 Signs You've Caught the Long-Lasting COVID
The coronavirus was originally thought of as a flu-like virus that lasts up to 14 days. Now we know the truth is clearly more brutal: some struck with COVID-19 have life-ruining symptoms that can last for months, and possibly forever. The Mirror is the latest to report on these "long-haulers" who have what's being dubbed "long COVID." (Note that they're not infectious after they shed the virus but are left with damaging effects.) Here are the symptoms the website found among interviewees—read on, and to ensure your health and the health of others, don't miss these Sure Signs You've Already Had Coronavirus.
Constant Pain
"Every day is a battle, I am constantly in pain. I thought I was going to die. I don't know how I am not dead," Sophie Evans, a 28-year-old nurse, told the Mirror. People are reporting constant aches and pains in their chest, arms, legs, head—and sometimes in a different place every day. "It breaks my heart to know there will be more sufferers during a second peak. It's a horrible place to be."
Fatigue
"I can't get through a day without a sleep," aka a nap, single mom Claire Hastie, who founded the long-Covid Support Group, with 20,000 members, told the Mirror. "It's heartbreaking, as we don't know who this is impacting and who will suffer from long-Covid."
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Breathlessness
"Sometimes, it can feel like tightness around the chest. The medical terms for these symptoms are 'breathlessness' and 'dyspnea,'" says GoodRx.
Anxiety
"Many people in our group to this day are being told by their GPs that it's caused by anxiety and it's all in their heads," says Hastie. "It can cause anxiety, but it is not caused by anxiety. The science needs to catch up with us."
Migraines
"My whole life has completely gone. It is like I am living a different life. It has completely changed my life," Nicola Mitchell, 52, a landlord, told the Mirror. "I can't even walk my two dogs any more. All of my muscles are in pain and I get terrible migraines."
How to Avoid COVID-19
As for yourself, do everything you can to prevent getting—and spreading—COVID-19 in the first place: Wear a face mask, get tested if you think you have coronavirus, avoid crowds (and bars, and house parties), practice social distancing, only run essential errands, wash your hands regularly, disinfect frequently touched surfaces, and to get through this pandemic at your healthiest, don't miss these 35 Places You're Most Likely to Catch COVID.
