long COVID
noun
variants
or less commonly long COVID-19
or long-haul COVID
or long-haul COVID-19
: a condition that is marked by the presence of symptoms (such as fatigue, cough, shortness of breath, headache, or brain fog) which persist for an extended period of time (such as weeks or months) following a person's initial recovery from COVID-19 infection : post-covid syndrome
The sickest COVID-19 patients are not the only ones to suffer from long COVID. Patients who had a milder initial case that didn't result in hospitalization can also have persistent symptoms.—
Stephanie LaVergne
Stephanie LaVergneBecause of the growing number of long COVID patients, more hospitals are creating outpatient clinics with multiple specialists or expanding centers that initially focused only on patients leaving intensive care units.—Meredith Cohn
Meredith CohnCeresa is one of a growing number of COVID-19 survivors with serious symptoms that last far beyond the acute infection with the virus. Some of these patients, often referred to as 'long-haulers' or people with long COVID-19 … are receiving treatment at … clinics like the one at Mount Sinai.—Kevin Loria
Kevin Loria… long-haul COVID-19 refers to the ongoing adverse health effects of coronavirus infection, which can last for weeks, and even months, after the initial phase of their illness has passed.—Eve Glazier and Elizabeth Ko
Eve Glazier and Elizabeth KoExamples of long COVID in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
With the many debilitating symptoms of long COVID, diet often takes a backseat to medication or supplements.
—Mark Weinstein, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Apr. 2025
There is nothing about how to avoid getting sick or how to treat COVID-19, no information about long COVID and no mention of the nearly 1.2 million Americans who have died from the illness.
—Jade Walker, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2025
After obliterating the federal office on long COVID and clawing back billions in COVID funding from state health departments, the Trump administration has now entirely erased the online hub for federal COVID-19 resources.
—ArsTechnica, 18 Apr. 2025
Nearly 20 million Americans live with long COVID, and stunting research will significantly curtail efforts to find a viable cure for the disease.
—Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
Therefore, doctors may want to raise the possibility when talking to patients, especially for those suffering other long COVID symptoms.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
After taking office, President Trump was quick to disband a long COVID advisory committee that took months to stand-up.
—Will Stone, NPR, 12 Mar. 2025
Pinning down recovery rates from long COVID has been difficult, but according to several studies, after two years, the majority of people living with long COVID had not fully recovered.
—Rebecca Nagle, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2025
Since then, the accepted name for the condition is long COVID.
—Tammy Ljungblad, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2025
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Mark Weinstein, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Apr. 2025
There is nothing about how to avoid getting sick or how to treat COVID-19, no information about long COVID and no mention of the nearly 1.2 million Americans who have died from the illness.
—Jade Walker, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2025
After obliterating the federal office on long COVID and clawing back billions in COVID funding from state health departments, the Trump administration has now entirely erased the online hub for federal COVID-19 resources.
—ArsTechnica, 18 Apr. 2025
Nearly 20 million Americans live with long COVID, and stunting research will significantly curtail efforts to find a viable cure for the disease.
—Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
Therefore, doctors may want to raise the possibility when talking to patients, especially for those suffering other long COVID symptoms.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
After taking office, President Trump was quick to disband a long COVID advisory committee that took months to stand-up.
—Will Stone, NPR, 12 Mar. 2025
Pinning down recovery rates from long COVID has been difficult, but according to several studies, after two years, the majority of people living with long COVID had not fully recovered.
—Rebecca Nagle, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2025
Since then, the accepted name for the condition is long COVID.
—Tammy Ljungblad, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Long COVID.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/long%20COVID. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
long COVID
noun
variants
also long COVID-19
or long-haul COVID
or long-haul COVID-19
: a condition that is marked by the presence of symptoms (such as fatigue, cough, shortness of breath, headache, or brain fog) which persist for an extended period of time (such as weeks or months) following a person's initial recovery from COVID-19 infection : post-covid syndrome
… there's no clear way to diagnose long COVID and no standard treatment protocol. Some long haulers feel better after a couple of weeks following the initial infection, but then fall ill to old or even new disease-related symptoms that may affect multiple organs and systems weeks or months later. For others … their symptoms never fully abate after the initial infection; they just linger.—Melba Newsome, Charlotte (North Carolina) Observer
Melba Newsome, Charlotte (North Carolina) ObserverThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is set to release interim guidance for physicians treating patients with long COVID-19 …—Congressional Quarterly News
Congressional Quarterly News… long-haul COVID-19 refers to the ongoing adverse health effects of coronavirus infection, which can last for weeks, and even months, after the initial phase of their illness has passed.—Eve Glazier and Elizabeth Ko, Chicago Daily Herald
Eve Glazier and Elizabeth Ko, Chicago Daily HeraldLong-haul COVID patients tend to exhibit the kinds of symptoms about which disability case reviewers have historically been skeptical, if not downright hostile. These include chronic fatigue, nonspecific body and nerve pain, headaches and persistent confusion known as "brain fog."—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles TimesLove words? Need even more definitions?
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