Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they recognised Long Covid as a valid medical condition; and what (1) physical, and (2) psychological, symptoms comprise its characteristics.

We recognised post COVID-19 syndrome as a valid medical condition in June 2020, when guidelines were issued to the National Health Service on the long-term healthcare needs of COVID-19 patients. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence created a clinical definition for the condition, publishing the ‘COVID-19 rapid guideline: managing the long-term effects of COVID-19’ in December 2020. A copy is attached. Post COVID-19 syndrome is a complex condition, affecting multiple systems within the body. Commonly reported symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, cognitive impairment and muscle pain. Further symptoms associated are set out in the guideline attached.

The establishment of specialist Post COVID-19 clinics was announced in October 2010. There are currently 101 specialist services for adults and 13 for children and younger people.

NHS England publish information on referrals of people aged 16 years old and older to post COVID-19 services in England. In the period 5 July 2021 to 7 May 2023, there have been 96,898 accepted referrals, 87,663 initial assessments and 263,166 follow up appointments.

No recent estimate has been made of the number of people who have contracted or have lasting disabilities as a result of contracting Post COVID-19 syndrome.

The latest estimate from the Office of National Statistics is that for the four week period ending 5 March 2023 1.9 million people, 2.9% of the population, in private households in the United Kingdom reported experiencing post COVID-19 symptoms.