Long Covid - an update for primary care

Published on 22nd of September 2022 in the British Medical Journal, doi: 10.1136/bmj-2022-072117

‘Long Covid – an update for primary care’

The abstract of the article and summary points can be read here, but for the full article, please follow the link above.

What you need to know: 

  • Long covid (prolonged symptoms following covid-19 infection) is common

  • The mainstay of management is supportive, holistic care, symptom control, and detection of treatable complications

  • Many patients can be supported effectively in primary care by a GP with a special interest

Questions patients ask (which are answered in this article: 

  • Why did I get long covid and what caused it?

  • What can my primary care team do for me?

  • What investigations should I have?

  • What treatments are available?

  • How will I know if I’m getting better?

  • When will I get better?
  • Do I need to see a specialist?

  • What if I’m not getting better?

In this article you can also find a variety of resources both for patients and for healthcare professionals.

Visual Summary

Authors: 

  • Trisha Greenhalgh – professor of primary care health sciences
  • Manoj Sivan – associate professor in rehabilitation medicine
  • Brendan Delaney – professor of medical informatics and decision making
  • Rachael Evans – associate professor in respiratory medicine, associate professor in respiratory medicine
  • Ruairidh Milne – person with long covid and, emeritus professor of public health