The data is clear: long Covid is devastating people’s lives and livelihoods

The impact of long Covid needs urgent action — and there are five key elements to drive the effort forward, writes WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

Mostly data is only available from high-income countries, which means we don’t currently have a clear picture on how many people are actually suffering. 

Crushing fatigue. Brain fog making straightforward tasks almost impossible. Shortness of breath walking up the stairs.

Just some of the many symptoms people with long Covid (post-Covid-19 condition) have experienced according to patient groups, researchers and clinicians the World Health Organization (WHO) has worked with since cases of prolonged suffering from Covid-19 started to be recognised in mid-2020.