World Health Organization Long COVID diagnostic criteria

World Health Organization Long COVID diagnostic criteria, also known as the clinical case definition of post COVID-19 condition.

Definition
Post COVID-19 condition occurs in individuals with a history of probable or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, usually 3 months from the onset of COVID-19 with symptoms that last for at least 2 months and cannot be explained by an alternative diagnosis. Common symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, cognitive dysfunction but also others and generally have an impact on everyday functioning. Symptoms may be new onset following initial recovery from an acute COVID-19 episode or persist from the initial illness. Symptoms may also fluctuate or relapse over time.

A separate definition may be applicable for children.

Notes: There is no minimal number of symptoms required for the diagnosis; though symptoms involving different organs systems and clusters have been described.
 * A full list of described symptoms included in the surveys can be found in Annexes 2.

Definitions: Fluctuate – a change from time to time in quantity or quality. Relapse – return of disease manifestations after period of improvement. Cluster – two or more symptoms that are related to each other and that occur together. They are composed of stable groups of symptoms, are relatively independent of other clusters, and may reveal specific underlying dimensions of symptoms (32).

Annex 2 list of symptoms

 * Abdominal pain
 * Menstrual and period problems
 * Altered smell/taste
 * Anxiety
 * Blurred vision
 * Chest pain
 * Cognitive dysfunction (e.g. brain fog)
 * Cough
 * Depression
 * Dizziness
 * Fatigue
 * Intermittent fever
 * Gastrointestinal issues (diarrhoea, constipation, acid reflux)
 * Headache
 * Memory issues
 * Joint pain
 * Muscle pain/muscle spasms
 * Neuralgias (nerve pain)
 * New onset allergies
 * Pins and needles sensations
 * Post-exertional malaise
 * Shortness of breath
 * Sleep disorders
 * Tachycardia/palpitations
 * Tinnitus and other hearing issues

Easy read version
Post COVID-19 condition ("Long COVID") definition
 * history of probable or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection
 * lasts 2 months from the start of COVID-19 (or 3 months for asymptomatic COVID-19)
 * can't be explained by an alternative diagnosis
 * no minimum number of symptoms
 * symptoms generally affect day to day functioning
 * new onset of symptoms - symptoms begin after recovery from COVID-19 or begin at the start of COVID-19 and persist
 * symptoms can fluctuate or improve then relapse over time

Common symptoms: Other symptoms: Notes:
 * fatigue
 * shortness of breath
 * cognitive dysfunction but also others
 * abdominal pain, menstrual and period problems, altered smell/taste, anxiety, blurred vision, chest pain, cognitive dysfunction (e.g. brain fog), cough, depression, dizziness, fatigue, intermittent fever, gastrointestinal issues (diarrhoea, constipation, acid reflux), headache, memory issues, joint pain, muscle painmuscle spasms, neuralgias (nerve pain), new onset allergies, pins and needles sensations, post-exertional malaise, shortness of breath, sleep disorders, tachycardia/palpitations, tinnitus and other hearing issues
 * Children - separate criteria may be needed
 * Clusters - clusters of 2 or more related symptoms may occur together

Learn more

 * A clinical case definition of post COVID-19 condition by a Delphi consensus - World Health Organization