Note: the content of this page is being regularly updated, check back later for more FAQs

Who is vulnerable to getting Long Covid?

Anyone of ANY age (infant, child, adult) can develop Long Covid. Many people with LC have no underlying health conditions. It appears that women are more likely to get LC compared to men (note: autoimmune diseases are more common in women and there is evidence of an autoimmune component to LC).

Long Covid can occur after any type of Covid infection, many of those with LC had a mild acute infection. Severity of acute infection does not seem to be related to the severity of LC symptoms (eg. acute mild infection can develop into severely debilitating LC).

How long do you have to have symptoms for it to be considered Long Covid?

The WHO defines LC as symptoms that persist for 12 wks or more post infection

What is the first step I should take if I suspect I have Long Covid?

Educate yourself on LC. Look online at trusted sources eg LC charity’s websites (see our useful links section) for a full list of symptoms – there over 200 potential LC symptoms. Consider the timing of the onset of your symptoms (but note that some people experience a gap between their acute infection and the onset of symptoms). If you suspect LC is the cause of your symptoms, attend your GP.

Are Covid 19 symptoms and Long Covid symptoms the same?

The symptoms during acute infection are often not related to those experienced as part of a person’s Long Covid eg. severe fatigue/weakness may not have occurred during acute infection but be a part of Long Covid. Others symptoms may have been part of the acute infection and continue on eg. cough.

Do I need to see my GP?

Your GP will be the first port of call if, having done some initial research, you feel you may be suffering from Long Covid. The majority of consultants, public or private, will require a GP referral to issue you with an appointment, so seeing your GP will be a necessary step in obtaining a diagnosis/medical care. Keep in mind, however, not all GPs are experienced with Long Covid, therefore if your GP does not agree with your interpretation of your symptoms, this does not rule out the possibility of Long Covid.

Is there a treatment available in Ireland for Long Covid?

Unfortunately there are NOT YET any official approved treatments for Long Covid in Ireland or elsewhere. With ongoing research, they will hopefully come in time.

For now, there are ways of managing Long Covid symptoms in order to improve a person’s quality of life. This may involve medications, supplements, and practical strategies. It is also important for a patient to ensure that they have the tools and knowledge needed to avoid deterioration/worsening of their LC symptoms.

What social welfare benefits are open to Long Covid patients who are unable to work?

Illness Benefit (not means tested, based on having the required PRSI payments)

Disability Allowance (means tested, available to all citizens if they qualify, regardless of PRSI payments

Invalidity Pension (longer term, illness benefit is only available for a maximum of 2hrs)

Job Seekers Allowance/Benefit – should you have had to leave your job/been let go and later recover from Long Covid, you are entitled to these payments if you are seeking work.

Supplementary Welfare Allowance

It is very common to be rejected on your initial application for many social welfare schemes, the citizen information office have been extremely helpful to patients supporting them in their appeal.

Where can I go for help (as an adult) in the public health service?

There are six public LC clinics around the country

St Vincents Hospital Dublin

St .James’ Hospital Dublin

Beaumount Hospital Dublin

Cork University Hospital

Galway University Hospital

Limerick University Hospital

Note: there are some post acute clinics such as Tallaght Hospital which are still offering a Long Covid clinic service, we are unsure of the future of these clinics.

See List of Services page for additional details

I can afford to pay for a private consultant, where can I go for help (adult)?

There are a number of consultants and clinics who are seeing Long Covid patients privately (see our list of services page).

What can I expect from an appointment at a public Long Covid clinic?

The public LC clinics are all run by infectious disease consultants. Your Initial assessment will be with that Dr or one of their associates. The Dr may order blood tests if you have no recent bloodwork on file. Often the Dr. may wish to rule out cardiological and respiratory issues as priority.

If the Dr believes you do not need any onward referral (eg to neurology, cardiology etc), your care will be mainly provided by the other members of the inter-disciplinary team. The team in most clinics consists of an OT (Occupational Therapist) , a physiotherapist and a psychologist. (Note, not all six clinics have all three in place). Many patients report that they only see the Dr once approximately every 6mths. Reports suggest that the doctors in the public clinics are not prescribing medications (to manage symptoms eg. for pain, sleep etc) for patients in the majority of cases, we do not know the reason for this approach.

Unfortunately some patients have expressed frustration following their appointments with the doctor in the public LC clinic. However many patients report finding the other clinicians to be helpful. OT in particular may be extremely useful for strategies to help to avoid PEM (Post exertional malaise).

Where can I go for help (for my child who I suspect has LC) in the public health service?

Unfortunately there is currently (as of July 2023) no official services for anyone under the age of 16 who is suffering with Long Covid. General paediatric consultants are available through the public system. The HSE’s advice if you are a parent and suspect your child has LC, is to see your GP and a general consultant if necessary. Unfortunately, parents of children with LC report that this system is not working well, with the majority finding it difficult/impossible to obtain an appointment with a consultant knowledgeable in Long Covid/post acute viral illness. Many parents are also reporting that their GP does not seem to be aware of LC as a physical illness that can effect children, for this reason it can be difficult to obtain a referral to a consultant.

I can afford to pay for a private consultant, where can I go for help (for my child)?

There is currently one private consultant for LC seeing children, see our list of services

What is the Irish government doing to support Long Covid patients?

LCAI believes that there are not adequate supports and services in place for LC patients in Ireland. We also believe that there should be ongoing mitigations to reduce Covid19 transmission as new Long Covid cases continue to occur.

The government has provided the six public LC clinics, however we know from patient reports that there are many issues; wait times are often long and patients are often unhappy with the care they are receiving. LCAI do not believe that the public clinics are offering sufficient symptom management.

LCAI are asking the government to take urgent action regarding many of the challenges facing LC patients, including but not limited to; access to healthcare, employment rights, social welfare issues, occupational illness status, public awareness, Covid 19 mitigations etc.

My cognitive symptoms are making it difficult to understand this information, what can I do?

If you have specific questions not covered here or are struggling to understand the above content, you can contact us at longcovidadvocacyireland@gmail.com.