Long Covid Land Toolbox
COVID LONG-HAULERS CANADA
Who Are Long-Haulers?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has named this syndrome as post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), and you will often see it called Long COVID or Post COVID Conditions. People living with these symptoms are sometimes referred to as COVID-19 long-haulers.
Long-haulers are individuals who still have persistent symptoms for 4 weeks or longer that are either continuous or arise weeks or months after initially recovering from COVID-19.
Many will suffer for months, and report prolonged, multisystem involvement and significant disability.
Still Masked, Still Right: A Data-Driven Case for Vigilance
Last Updated May 7, 2025
Fact Sheet Prepared by:
Sean P. Mullen, PhD
Associate Professor, Health and Kinesiology
Director, Exercise, Technology, and Cognition Lab
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
This brief was prepared to support patients who continue to take precautions against SARS-CoV-2 and/or report symptoms that may be downplayed. The evidence summarized below reflects current peer-reviewed science on the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on the brain, immune system, cardiovascular system, and overall functioning, even after mild or asymptomatic infection.
Ridofranz / iStock
1 in 5 men surveyed had erectile dysfunction up to 2 years after COVID
A total of 19.0% of 609 men who completed a survey in Japan and had persistent COVID symptoms reported erectile dysfunction (ED) 1 and/or 2 years post-infection, perhaps due to depression, anxiety, and/or sleep disturbances, suggest researchers with the COVID-19 Recovery Study II Group.
The group conducted a case-control study based on a survey fielded 1 and 2 years post-infection about ED and underlying factors among 609 men aged 20 years and older admitted to 1 of 20 hospitals for COVID-19 from March to September 2021, a period spanning the Alpha and Delta variants. The median participant age was 56 years.
“In COVID-19 patients, vascular endothelial damage due to inflammatory cytokines and hypoxia in the acute phase of COVID-19 lead to the progression of ED,” the investigators wrote. “Furthermore, ED is affected by physical stress and psychological stress.”
The findings were published in Scientific Reports.
90% of Long Covid cases come from a "mild" SARS-COV-2 acute infection
We strive to reduce the impact of airborne pollutants and infectious diseases by advocating for the widespread adoption of HEPA and MERV filtration systems, supporting mask usage without stigma, and disseminating reliable information about the long-term harm caused by COVID-19 and the effectiveness of clean air.
Structural brain changes in post-COVID condition and its relationship with cognitive impairment
Abstract
It has been estimated that ∼4% of individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 will be diagnosed with post-COVID condition. Previous studies have evidenced the presence of cognitive dysfunction and structural brain changes in infected individuals; however, the relationship between structural changes and cognitive alterations in post-COVID condition is still not clear. Consequently, the aim of this work is to study structural brain alterations in post-COVID condition patients after almost 2 years of infection and their likely relationship with patients’ cognitive impairment. Additionally, the association with blood biomarkers and clinical variables was also explored…
Introduction
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Most people recover fully after the infection, but a substantial number of individuals suffer from diverse multi-systemic symptoms months after.1 The post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) is defined as the continuation or development of new symptoms 3 months after the initial infection, with these symptoms lasting for at least 2 months with no other explanation.2 PCC is characterized by a substantial diversity of fixed or fluctuating symptoms including fatigue, muscle and body ache, loss of smell and taste and joint pain as the most reported symptoms according to a population-based cross-sectional study including 4722 participants…
COVID-19-induced gastrointestinal autonomic dysfunction: A systematic review
BACKGROUND
It is common for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection to occur in the gastrointestinal tract, which can present itself as an initial symptom. The severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is often reflected in the prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms. COVID-19 can damage the nerve supply to the digestive system, leading to gastrointestinal autonomic dysfunction. There is still much to learn about how COVID-19 affects the autonomic nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract.
AIM
To thoroughly explore the epidemiology and clinical aspects of COVID-19-induced gastrointestinal autonomic dysfunction, including its manifestations, potential mechanisms, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, impact on quality of life, prognosis, and management and prevention strategies.
Long-term health outcomes following hospitalisation for COVID-19: a 30- month cohort analysis
Abstract
Context
Increased risks of death and hospitalisation for organ disorders after discharge for COVID-19 hospitalisation have been reported but their persistence is unknown.
Methods
We conducted a nationwide cohort study using the French claims database; subjects hospitalised for COVID-19 between 2020/01/01 and 2020/08/30 were followed up to 30-months and matched to controls from the general population (GP) not hospitalised for COVID-19 during this period. Outcomes were all-cause mortality and organ disorders-related hospitalisation identified using ICD-10 codes. Cumulative incidences were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) were estimated such as the adjusted sub-distribution hazard ratio on 6-month periods during the follow-up using Cox regressions.
Results
63,990 COVID-19 subjects (mean age (SD) 65 years (18), 53.1% male) were matched to 319,891 controls. The weighted cumulative incidences of all-cause mortality and all-cause hospitalisation were 5,218/105 person-years (PY) [95%CI 5,127; 5,305] and 16,334/105 PY [16,162; 16,664] among COVID-19 subjects and 4,013/105 [3,960; 4,047] and 12,095/105 PY [12,024; 12,197] among controls, respectively. COVID-19 subjects were more likely to be hospitalised for cardiovascular (IRR 1.22 [1.15; 1.29]), psychiatric (IRR 1.41 [1.29; 1.53]), neurological (IRR 1.50 [1.41; 1.61]), and respiratory events (IRR 1.99 [1.87; 2.12]). The excess risk strongly decreased after the first 6 months for all outcomes but remained significantly increased up to 30-month for neurological, respiratory disorders, chronic renal failure and diabetes.
Conclusions
COVID-19 hospitalised subjects were at increased risk of death or hospitalisation for various organ disorders up to 30 months after discharge, reflecting the multi-organ consequences of the disease.
["Ultimately, you are on your own." A qualitative analysis of barriers to health care from the perspective of patients with long COVID]
2025 Feb 27
Abstract
Background: About 5% of the population are affected by post-infectious symptoms after a Sars-CoV-2-infection. Long COVID or a post-COVID-19 condition can affect all organ systems and lead to a complete need for care. 10-50% of patients meet the diagnostic criteria for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. Treatment recommendations have so far been limited to stress management and symptomatic, psychological or activity-enhancing measures (physical or exercise therapy). Initial studies of patients’ perspectives indicate that both the recognition of the disease and the medical care for affected patients are insufficient.
Method: Since June 2023, patients with long COVID or their relatives have been able to report medical and social care experiences by telephone or using an online reporting form from the Techniker (TK) Health Insurance fund and the German Society for Patient Safety as part of a project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Health. From 1,216 reports received by December 2023, 264 representative cases were selected and evaluated using structuring and summarizing content analysis. The aim was to understand the experiences of those affected with barriers to health and social care and their consequences.
Results: In the fourth year after the start of the pandemic…