National Academy of Sciences urges federal government and medical profession to develop a common definition of long Covid

WASHINGTON — A new National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report says the federal government, state and local authorities, clinicians, medical societies and organizations, public health practitioners, employers, educators, and others should adopt a new definition for “Long COVID” — that it is an infection-associated chronic condition that occurs after COVID-19 infection and is present for at least three months as a continuous, relapsing and remitting, or progressive disease state that affects one or more organ systems. 

 

Long COVID has profound medical, social, and economic consequences worldwide. While several working definitions currently exist, no common definition for Long COVID has been agreed upon. The lack of a consensus definition presents challenges for patients, clinicians, public health practitioners, researchers, and policymakers. For patients, varying presentations of the disease and competing definitions can lead to difficulties accessing medical care or obtaining support, skepticism and dismissal of their experiences, delayed or denied treatment, and social stigma. ...