What is Long COVID?

The amount of time it takes to recover from COVID-19 will be different for everybody. Many people will feel better in a few days or weeks and most will make a full recovery within 12 weeks, but symptoms can last longer for some people.

People who only had mild symptoms can still have long term problems. You don’t need to have had a positive COVID-19 test either, because we know some people had COVID-19 without a positive test.

You will find more information about symptoms below along with a list of Long COVID services in Lancashire and South Cumbria.

Symptom checker

There are lots of symptoms you can have after a COVID-19 infection.

Common Long COVID symptoms include:

  • extreme tiredness (fatigue)
  • shortness of breath
  • loss of smell
  • muscle aches
  • chest pain or tightness
  • problems with memory and concentration ("brain fog")
  • difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
  • heart palpitations
  • dizziness
  • pins and needles
  • joint pain
  • depression and anxiety
  • tinnitus, earaches
  • feeling sick, diarrhoea, stomach aches, loss of appetite
  • a high temperature, cough, headaches, sore throat, changes to sense of smell or taste
  • rashes

Long COVID services in Lancashire and South Cumbria

Looking after yourself (self care)

Your COVID Recovery is available at any time and has information for adults, children and young people. Through this website you can find information and advice to help you recover from COVID-19 including physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing.

Health and wellbeing services

Community-based health and wellbeing services that cater for people in Pennine Lancashire (Blackburn with Darwen & East Lancashire) living with long covid include:

Lifestyle Hub

The Hub connects people into a range of community-based health and wellbeing programmes (including peer support) based on their need and the local area they are from.

It operates across a Pennine Lancashire footprint (Blackburn with Darwen & East Lancashire) and by accessing the hub, people can be connected into services within their local area based on need.

The Lifestyle Hub accepts referrals from health care professionals as well as self-referrals.

The contact email address for the Lifestyle Hub is lscicb-el.lifestylehub@nhs.net

Long-COVID assessment for children and young people

While the majority of children and young people are not severely affected by COVID, a small number report continued symptoms.

The first step would be to contact your GP practice for a review. The first step would be to contact your GP practice for a review.  If necessary, your GP will be able to refer on to the Pennine Lancashire Children’s Long Covid Service.

If more specialist support is needed, your local hospital will refer on to the specialist service based at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and Alder Hey.

Long COVID assessment clinic – for adults

The first step would be to contact your GP practice for a review. Many patients with Long COVID can be supported effectively by their GP.

If your GP feels you need further support, they can refer you to the Pennine Lancashire Long COVID service.

The Pennine Lancashire Long COVID Service is provided by partnership organisations across Pennine Lancashire (Blackburn with Darwen & East Lancashire).

To access this service, your GP needs to refer you.

Once you are assessed in the Pennine Lancashire Long COVID Service, if you require more specialist input this will be discussed and agreed with you.

Looking after yourself (self care)

Your COVID Recovery is available at any time and has information for adults, children and young people. Through this website you can find information and advice to help you recover from COVID-19 including physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing.

Long-COVID assessment for children and young people

While the majority of children and young people are not severely affected by COVID, a small number report continued symptoms. The first step would be to contact your GP practice for a review. If necessary, your GP will be able to refer on to your local hospital paediatric services. If more specialist support is needed, your local hospital will refer on to the specialist service based at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and Alder Hey.

If your child is aged 16 – 17 years old and isn’t already under the care of Paediatric services, they can be referred direct to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.

Long COVID assessment clinic – for adults

The first step would be to contact your GP practice for a review. Many patients with Long COVID can be supported effectively by their GP.

If your GP feels you need further support, they can refer you to your local Long COVID assessment clinic.

Your local Long COVID assessment clinic is provided by Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

It is located at South Shore Primary Care Centre, Lytham Road, South Shore, Blackpool, FY4 1TJ.

To access this service, your GP needs to refer you.

Once you are assessed in the Long COVID assessment clinic, if you require more specialist input this will be discussed and agreed with you.

Looking after yourself (self care)

Your COVID Recovery is available at any time and has information for adults, children and young people. Through this website you can find information and advice to help you recover from COVID-19 including physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing.

Health and wellbeing services

Community-based health and wellbeing services that cater for people in Central Lancashire living with long covid include: Coffee and chat for people with post COVID-19 – a fortnightly online group or monthly in person group: email mcad@lscft.nhs.uk

Long-COVID assessment for children and young people

While the majority of children and young people are not severely affected by COVID, a small number report continued symptoms. The first step would be to contact your GP practice for a review. If necessary, your GP will be able to refer on to your local hospital paediatric services. If more specialist support is needed, your local hospital will refer on to the specialist service based at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and Alder Hey.

If your child is aged 16 – 17 years old and isn’t already under the care of paediatric services, they can be referred direct to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.

Long COVID assessment clinic – for adults

The first step would be to contact your GP practice for a review. Many patients with Long COVID can be supported effectively by their GP.

If your GP feels you need further support, they can refer you to your local Long COVID assessment clinic.

Your local Long COVID assessment clinic is provided by Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust.

It is located at clinics across Chorley, Leyland, Penwortham and Preston.

To access this service, your GP needs to refer you.

Once you are assessed in the Long COVID assessment clinic, if you require more specialist input this will be discussed and agreed with you.

Support, specialist advice and guidance to patients, and referral on to other services as appropriate.

Looking after yourself (self care)

Your COVID Recovery is available at any time and has information for adults, children and young people. Through this website you can find information and advice to help you recover from COVID-19 including physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing.

Long-COVID assessment for children and young people

While the majority of children and young people are not severely affected by COVID, a small number report continued symptoms. The first step would be to contact your GP practice for a review. If necessary, your GP will be able to refer on to your local hospital paediatric services. If more specialist support is needed, your local hospital will refer on to the specialist service based at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and Alder Hey.

If your child is aged 16 – 17 years old and isn’t already under the care of paediatric services, they can be referred direct to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.

Long COVID assessment clinic – for adults

The first step would be to contact your GP practice for a review. Many patients with Long COVID can be supported effectively by their GP.

If your GP has carried out an assessment and ruled out alternative causes, and feels you need further support, they can refer you to the COVID-19 recovery service provided by Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

It is located at Beck House, Murley Moss Business Park, Oxenholme Road , Kendal. LA9 7RL.

The COVID-19 recovery service operates by phone or using home visiting to provide a bespoke treatment approach in the South Lakes and North Lancs area, and provides multidisciplinary assessment, treatment.

Looking after yourself (self care)

Your COVID Recovery is available at any time and has information for adults, children and young people. Through this website you can find information and advice to help you recover from COVID-19 including physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing.

Long-COVID assessment for children and young people

While the majority of children and young people are not severely affected by COVID, a small number report continued symptoms. The first step would be to contact your GP practice for a review. If necessary, your GP will be able to refer on to your local hospital paediatric services. If more specialist support is needed, your local hospital will refer on to the specialist service based at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and Alder Hey.

If your child is aged 16 – 17 years old and isn’t already under the care of paediatric services, they can be referred direct to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.

Long COVID assessment clinic – for adults

The first step would be to contact your GP practice for a review. Many patients with Long COVID can be supported effectively by their GP.

If your GP feels you need further support, they can refer you to your local Long COVID assessment clinic.

Your local Long COVID assessment clinic is provided by HCRG Care Group.

To access this service, your GP needs to refer you.

Once you are assessed in the Long COVID assessment clinic, if you require more specialist input this will be discussed and agreed with you.

Available online resources

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals covid patient support website

https://covidpatientsupport.lthtr.nhs.uk/

This resource has been developed by a group of multi-disciplinary health professionals at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals. The purpose of the website is to support individuals with their initial recovery from COVID-19. 

Although hospital admission is referred to throughout this resource, it can also be used for patients who remain in their own homes and we hope that the information and the advice provided will assist all patients and their families starting their rehabilitation journey following COVID-19. 

This information should not replace any individual advice you may have received on discharge from hospital. If you have any concerns about ongoing or worsening symptoms, please seek advice from either your GP or the NHS 111 website. 

Recovery after COVID-19: Patient information leaflet

This printable patient leaflet contains key messages on recovering from COVID-19 and the support available to patients, their families and unpaid carers.

Download the post-covid self-help leaflet 

Your COVID Recovery

https://www.yourcovidrecovery.nhs.uk/

The Your COVID Recovery service provides a digital, interactive, personalised recovery programme for people recovering from COVID-19. The information and resources cover a range of bio/psycho/social areas of care, including physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing support offers.

There is also a tailored self-management rehabilitation plan that is remotely supported by healthcare professionals to reduce symptom burden. It enables people to set goals for their mental and physical health and receive peer-to-peer support through social community forums. It has an ‘ask the expert’ facility for patients to contact their local rehab service and allows patients to be monitored by their local rehab teams to ensure that they are on track with their care.

Other online resources:

www.longcovid.org 

How to participate in research

The National Institute for Health and Care Research has a series of studies that examine the underlying mechanisms of Long COVID, investigate symptoms such as ‘brain fog’ and breathlessness, and test possible treatments. They explore whether NHS services, such as Long COVID clinics, meet people’s needs, and look at what people can do to optimise their own recovery.

You can participate in a research study here.

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