COVID-19 'Long Haulers' Continue to Have Symptoms Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again. × Search search POPULAR SEARCHES SUGGESTED LINKS Join AARP for just $9 per year when you sign up for a 5-year term. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Leaving AARP.org Website You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply.

When Coronavirus Symptoms Refuse to Go Away

In some patients the effects of COVID-19 linger long after the infection fades

Enes Evren/Getty Images When Maryland resident Russell Frisby was discharged from the hospital in late March after a five-day stay for he wasn't “100 percent,” but he was feeling better. The persistent cough that plagued him for weeks had subsided, and the breathing trouble that initially landed him in a hospital bed had improved. About two weeks into his recovery, however, “the bottom dropped out” and the serious symptoms returned. The 69-year-old attorney was suddenly unable to do household chores without getting winded. And his asthma, which had always been mild and under control, seemed to be getting worse. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Frisby took a coronavirus test just to be sure he didn't have COVID-19 again. The test was negative. Instead, he learned that his initial battle with the illness was far from over.

Recovery is not immediate for many COVID-19 patients

Frisby is what a growing number of doctors and researchers refer to as a “long-hauler,” or a person who experiences persisting symptoms of COVID-19 long after the infection is defeated. In addition to shortness of breath, long-haulers report extreme fatigue, tachycardia (a racing heart) and cognitive complications such as memory loss and brain fog that interfere with everyday tasks.
For some, these symptoms can last weeks. A July report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 35 percent of adults who had mild cases of COVID-19 still weren't back to their usual state of health two to three weeks after testing positive for the coronavirus. (By comparison, more than 90 percent of people with the flu recover within two weeks of having a positive test result, the report's authors write.) For others, the syndrome can drag on for months. An Italian study published in JAMA found 87 percent of hospitalized COVID-19 patients had at least one symptom continue two months after the onset of the disease. It's been nearly six months since Frisby's diagnosis, and he is still receiving care for issues related to his coronavirus infection and the lung scarring it caused. His current regimen involves “a more intense asthma treatment” with daily inhalers, weekly allergy shots and lots of rest. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. after treatment. What's more, COVID-19 attacks the — many patients who have been admitted to the hospital for one symptom leave with damage to their hearts, kidneys, lungs and more. But it's not just critically ill patients who are feeling the lingering effects of COVID-19. In the CDC report that looked at recovery rates for people with mild illness, 1 in 5 young and healthy adults reported prolonged problems. And in his Baltimore clinic, Raju has seen a handful of patients in their 20s and 30s seeking treatment for ongoing COVID-19-related symptoms. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Flowers & Gifts 25% off sitewide and 30% off select items See more Flowers & Gifts offers > Other viral illnesses can also result in chronic symptoms, including SARS and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus). “But what is different is that [the lasting symptoms] seem to be more common and more magnified with COVID,” says Gerard Francisco, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth in Houston. “I've never quite seen anything like this,” Smith adds.

The good news Rehabilitation therapies can help

Frisby, who says he is “pretty much back to normal now,” considers himself fortunate for the care he has received for his longer-term COVID-19 symptoms, adding that he was “far luckier than some people” who were dismissed by their doctors or didn't feel empowered to seek follow-up care. His advice: Be aggressive. “You can't just sit back,” he says. Though no single pill can cure what's being dubbed “long COVID,” doctors can help with “non-medication, nonsurgical rehabilitation approaches,” UTHealth's Francisco says. For example, individuals experiencing lingering fatigue can benefit from a reconditioning program. And people with cognitive issues can recover with the help of a neuropsychologist. "Those who are having trouble getting back to work, we can even help with a work reintegration program,” Francisco says. “These are not the typical treatments that you would think of for someone recovering from a viral infection, but I think they may help some of our patients experiencing these problems.” Johns Hopkins’ Raju says medical professionals are becoming more aware of COVID-19's long-term effects and can help patients devise a plan of treatment or refer them to a specialist who can help. Some hospitals and universities have established post-COVID-19 teams and centers to help long-haulers recover. All the while, researchers are conducting studies in search of more answers and effective interventions. "The more we learn about the long-term effects of COVID, the better prepared we will be” for any future coronavirus surges, Francisco says. “We were really initially in the dark as to how to help these individuals. But now that we know better, we will be better prepared.” More on health AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS