Assessment and Management of Long COVID

• Published in: Journal of health service psychology (Online) Vol. 48; no. 1; pp. 21 - 30
• Main Authors: Rivas-Vazquez, Rafael A., Rey, Gustavo, Quintana, Alan, Rivas-Vazquez, Ana A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Asymptomatic; COVID-19; Cytokine storm; Diabetes; Health Psychology; Health Services Research; Heart; Illnesses; Immune system; Inflammation; Lungs; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolism; Post traumatic stress disorder; Proteins; Respiratory distress syndrome; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; COVID-19; PASC; Long COVID; Long haulers
• ISSN: 2662-2645; 2662-2653
• DOI: 10.1007/s42843-022-00055-8

Almost two years into the pandemic, the scientific and healthcare communities continue to learn a great deal regarding COVID-19, the disease produced by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Broad variability during acute COVID-19 infection is seen, ranging from asymptomatic presentation to death. The vast majority of individuals who develop COVID-19 return to their pre-COVID-19 baseline within several weeks. However, a portion of patients will develop a post-COVID-19 syndrome of persistent cognitive, somatic, and behavioral symptoms. This syndrome, designated as post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection, is more commonly known as long COVID. The objectives of this paper are to inform psychologists regarding our current understanding of the underlying pathophysiology of COVID-19, review criteria for range of severity during acute illness, present clinical manifestations of long haul phenomena, and discuss the emerging literature base of evidence-based treatment and management approaches.