The term 'Long Covid' was coined in May 2020 but the virus became a pandemic before the most common post-viral condition was taken seriously. Dr Anna Brooks explores what we now know about it.

The term 'Long Covid' was coined in May 2020 but the virus became a pandemic before the most common post-viral condition - (ME/CFS) - was taken seriously.

So what do we know now about it? Dr Anna Brooks explores Long Covid in a talk for Auckland University's Raising the Bar 2022.

The global Covid-19 pandemic has changed life as we once knew it, creating wave upon wave of disruptions and uncertainty.

A pandemic-scale, highly contagious virus has not been experienced in our lifetimes. And one of the most significant discoveries has been the effect on those who have suffered from Long Covid.

The notion that viruses can cause debilitating post-infectious conditions is not new.

Following the realisation that many people were not recovering from their SARS-CoV-2 infection, the term 'Long Covid' was coined in May 2020.

The call for further research was patient-led as it seemed to the sufferers that no one in the medical establishment was listening.

Those who did understand were the millions worldwide already living with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) - the most common, yet still poorly understood, post-viral condition.

It has taken a pandemic-scale virus for many to finally take a largely neglected area of research and medicine seriously.

There is still much we don't understand about how viruses affect our long-term health - so what has this pandemic taught us that desperately needs attention?

Dr Anna Brooks talks through the state of current knowledge, and uncovers many areas which need further research.

Listen to the talk

Further listening and reading:

Long Covid researcher sceptical of study suggesting Omicron causes less disease

Long Covid: Experts warn against exercising too soon after virus

Long Covid must be taken seriously as Omicron dominates - experts

Warnings about Long Covid

Dr Anna Brooks

Dr Anna Brooks is a cellular immunologist, Senior Lecturer and Director of the Auckland Cytometry lab. She has a broad background in human immunology, with specific training and expertise in advanced cell characterisation using leading-edge cell analysis technologies (spectral flow cytometry)…

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