Brain fog and fatigue are some of its well-known symptoms. But how do I know if I have long COVID?
Today officially marks the first day of winter in Australia, but we're already in the thick of an increase in COVID-19 cases.
Some people take longer than others to bounce back after a bout of illness, but how do you tell the difference between a slow recovery and long COVID?
Let's unpack what we know about COVID's lasting shadow.
When does COVID become long COVID?
In simple terms, if you've had a COVID infection and you still have symptoms after three months it could be long COVID, explains Anthony Byrne.
He is an associate professor at the long COVID clinic at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney and says there are two time frames to pay attention to:
Persisting symptoms after 28 days are known as a "post-acute infection"
Persisting symptoms after three months could be considered long COVID.
"Unless someone can find a better explanation," he said. "Sometimes we can, sometimes we can't."
He also said a long COVID diagnosis is dependent on the persistence of symptoms that "are not otherwise explained by an alternative diagnosis"
How can I tell if I have long COVID?
It can be really difficult.
That's because many symptoms overlap with other conditions, Deakin University's chair of epidemiology Catherine Bennett says.
If you suspect you might have long COVID, she suggests it’s best to see a doctor or respiratory physician to start the process.
More than 200 symptoms have now been associated with long COVID, affecting almost every organ system in the human body.
But work's being done to narrow it down.