The long-lasting symptoms can affect around one in seven people who test positive for coronavirus, and is known as long Covid.
A new survey from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released today (1 September) shows that more than 400,000 people in the UK have had long Covid for over two years.
A total of two million people across the country are estimated to be suffering from long Covid, according to the survey.
Some 429,000 – the equivalent of around one in five (22%) – first had Covid-19, or suspected they had the virus, at least 24 months previously.
The number of people with long Covid who first had the virus at least one year ago is estimated to be 892,000, or 45% of the total.
The figures are based on self-reported long Covid from a representative sample of people in private households in the four weeks to 31 July.
Researchers are still learning about the long-lasting effects, but these are the most common symptoms of long Covid that have been reported so far.
1. Extreme tiredness
Extreme tiredness, also known as fatigue, is listed as “very common after viral infections, such as Covid, and normally settles are two or three weeks” by the NHS. A study by the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre, fatigue was listed as the most prevalent long Covid symptom, with 98.3 per cent of respondents listing the symptom. Photo: Shutterstock
2. Shortness of breath
According to the study by Sainsbury Wellcome Centre, breathing issues was listed as one of the top three most debilitating symptoms of long Covid by patients, with 2,242 out of 3,762 sufferers reporting issues Photo: Shutterstock
3. Chest pain or tightness
The NHS says that “experiences of chest pain after Covid can be worrying, but not usually life threatening”, but you should seek medical attention immediately if you experience sudden chest pain which persists for more than 15 minutes, pain that is associated with nausea or vomiting, sweating or shortness of breath, or pain that is associated with loss of consciousness Photo: Shutterstock
4. Problems with memory or concentration
The Sainsbury Wellcome Centre study found that 51 per cent of respondents experienced memory issues for at least six months. The NHS says that most people who have had Covid “will recover with no long-term impact on their memory or concentration”. Photo: Shutterstock