How long does long Covid last?

Symptoms. People with post-COVID conditions (or long COVID) may experience many symptoms. People with post-COVID conditions can have a wide range of symptoms that can last more than four weeks or even months after infection. Sometimes the symptoms can even go away or come back again.
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What are some of the lingering effects of COVID-19?


If you contracted COVID-19, you might still be experiencing this phenomenon long after the acute infection has passed. Long COVID presents as persistent symptoms ranging from mild headaches and general malaise to more serious problems such as extreme fatigue, difficulty concentrating and shortness of breath.

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How long can someone with COVID-19 be contagious?

"A person with COVID-19 is considered infectious starting two days before they develop symptoms, or two days before the date of their positive test if they do not have symptoms," according to the CDC. Regardless of symptoms, those who test positive are advised to take specific precautions for at least 10 days.
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Can mild cases of COVID-19 cause long COVID-19?


Advancing public health But even a mild SARS-CoV-2 infection can cause long COVID. And with the high transmissibility of the Omicron variant—which often results in milder disease outcomes—many patients may be concerned about developing long COVID.

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Can you still test positive after recovering from COVID-19?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some people who contract COVID-19 can have detectable virus for up to three months, but that doesn't mean they are contagious. When it comes to testing, however, the PCR tests are more likely to continue picking up the virus following infection.
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What is long COVID? What are the symptoms



Why might someone continue to test positive for COVID-19 after isolation?


According to Benjamin tenOever, a microbiologist at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, some people may continue to test positive because the weakened virus keeps replicating, or because of broken virus genomes.

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Can patients who have recovered from COVID-19 continue to have detectable SARS-CoV-2 RNA in upper respiratory specimens?

• Patients who have recovered from COVID-19 can continue to have detectable SARS-CoV-2 RNA in upper respiratory specimens for up to 3 months after illness onset in concentrations considerably lower than during illness; however, replication-competent virus has not been reliably recovered and infectiousness is unlikely.
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Could mild cases of COVID-19 cause lasting scars in the lung tissue?

“The first is the severity of the coronavirus infection itself — whether the person has a mild case, or a severe one,” Galiatsatos says. Milder cases are less likely to cause lasting scars in the lung tissue.
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How long do lingering symptoms last after COVID-19?


Symptoms. People with post-COVID conditions (or long COVID) may experience many symptoms. People with post-COVID conditions can have a wide range of symptoms that can last more than four weeks or even months after infection. Sometimes the symptoms can even go away or come back again.

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Can you get reinfected with COVID-19?

Reinfections can and have happened even shortly after recovery, the researchers said. And they will become increasingly common as immunity wanes and new SARS-CoV-2 variants arise.

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How long does it take to recover from COVID-19?

Fortunately, people who have mild to moderate symptoms typically recover in a few days or weeks.
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How long after the COVID-19 booster is it effective?


The first COVID-19 booster shot is now in the rearview mirror for millions of Americans -- for the 28% who got it, at least -- but new data finds it's less effective after about 4 months. The CDC has already recommended a second booster for immunocompromised people.
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When should I take Paxlovid?

When should I take Paxlovid? You have to take Paxlovid within five days of developing symptoms.
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Are long-term side effects possible with the COVID-19 vaccine?


Benefits of Vaccination Outweigh the Risks Serious side effects that could cause a long-term health problem are extremely unusual following any vaccination, including COVID-19 vaccination.

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What are Post-COVID conditions or Long COVID?

Post-COVID conditions (PCC, or Long COVID) are a wide range of new, returning, or ongoing health problems people can experience four or more weeks after first being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19.
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How does your immune system act after you recover from COVID-19?

After you recover from a virus, your immune system retains a memory of it. That means that if you get infected again, proteins and immune cells in your body can recognize and kill the virus, protecting you from the disease and reducing its severity.
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Is it normal for COVID-19 symptoms to last more than 10 days?


People with post-COVID conditions can have a wide range of symptoms that can last more than four weeks or even months after infection. Sometimes the symptoms can even go away or come back again.

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How long do body aches and muscle pains last from COVID-19?


Body aches or muscle pains may be an early symptom of COVID-19, often appearing at the very start of the illness and lasting for an average of 2-3 days. Unfortunately, COVID-19 body aches can sometimes last much longer and are commonly reported in people with long COVID-19 or post COVID-19 syndrome.

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Can COVID-19 symptoms come and go?

Yes. During the recovery process, people with COVID-19 might experience recurring symptoms alternating with periods of feeling better. Varying degrees of fever, fatigue and breathing problems can occur, on and off, for days or even weeks.
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Can COVID-19 cause lung problems?


COVID-19 can cause lung complications such as pneumonia and, in the most severe cases, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS.

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Can a COVID-19 infection damage your lungs?

In critical COVID-19 -- about 5% of total cases -- the infection can damage the walls and linings of the air sacs in your lungs. As your body tries to fight it, your lungs become more inflamed and fill with fluid. This can make it harder for them to swap oxygen and carbon dioxide.
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Can COVID-19 cause lung injury?

While most people recover from pneumonia without any lasting lung damage, the pneumonia associated with COVID-19 can be severe. Even after the disease has passed, lung injury may result in breathing difficulties that might take months to improve.
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Should you get the COVID-19 vaccine if you already had COVID-19 and recovered?


If I already had COVID-19 and recovered, do I still need to get a COVID-19 vaccine? You should get a COVID-19 vaccine even if you already had COVID-19. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine after you recover from COVID-19 infection provides added protection to your immune system.

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Can an antibody test be used to diagnose a current COVID-19 infection?


An antibody test cannot be used to diagnose current COVID-19 because an antibody test does not detect SARS-CoV-2. Only COVID-19 diagnostic tests can be used to diagnose current COVID-19. A positive antibody test result can be used to help identify people who may have had a prior SARS-CoV-2 infection or prior COVID-19.

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Can you get COVID-19 if you already had it and have antibodies?


It is important to remember that some people with antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 may become infected after vaccination (vaccine breakthrough infection) or after recovering from a past infection (reinfected).

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