The Unpredictable Nature of Long COVID
Long COVID is a complex disease that often looks incredibly different between individuals. But just how variable can one disease be?
If I had to choose one word to describe long COVID, it would be “unpredictable.” Long COVID includes any chronic symptom or health condition, affecting any organ system, that develops or persists following COVID-19, with disease presentation far too diverse for a narrower definition.1 There are over 200 known symptoms of long COVID, and they include just about everything you can think of – fatigue, brain fog (difficulty with memory or concentration), headaches, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, dizziness, stomach upset, pain of various kinds (nerve, muscle, and joint), and so on.2,3 The disease is often categorized based on symptom type (e.g., neurological or cardiovascular long COVID), but with such a wide range of symptoms, many cases do not fit neatly into one subtype.4
Additionally, long COVID is unpredictable in regard to symptom severity and duration.1-4 Some long-haulers have dozens of symptoms that impact the entire body, while others report only a loss of taste or smell. Some have mild symptoms that last for a few months, while others have debilitating symptoms that last for several years and may never fully resolve. Moreover, long COVID can present differently in the same individual at different points in time. A person may experience just a few mild symptoms one month, then experience several severe symptoms the next. “Unpredictable” is a good word choice, isn’t it?
As you can tell, long COVID has wide-ranging health effects, with each long-hauler impacted in unique ways. Now, why is this important?
Long COVID and its unpredictable nature are often misunderstood, posing significant issues for long-haulers. It can be difficult for people to understand how one disease can be so variable, and long-haulers are often disbelieved as a result. We’re commonly told that we’re being overly negative, sensitive, or dramatic, and in especially egregious situations, faking our illness.
This disbelief comes with major consequences. In healthcare settings, it can impede access to care, with dismissive medical providers making it difficult for long-haulers to get the care they need. In social settings, it can strain relationships, with long-haulers (naturally) taking offense to the dismissiveness of others. And in all settings, this disbelief can be damaging to long-haulers’ mental health and emotional well-being. It hurts to not be believed, especially when you’re already struggling.
This blog post was written to briefly provide more information on the unpredictability of long COVID and its impacts on long-haulers. Knowledge influences the way we interact with others, and it is my hope that this short post will help combat any ignorance that may negatively affect individuals struggling with long COVID. Go forward with knowledge!
References
1. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. A long COVID definition: a chronic, systemic disease state with profound consequences. Published 2024. Accessed September 22, 2025. https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/27768/chapter/2#2
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Long COVID signs and symptoms. cdc.gov. Published July 24, 2025. Accessed October 3, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/long-covid/signs-symptoms/index.html
3. Merhavy ZI, Junor T, Gonzalez A, et al. Long COVID: a comprehensive overview of the signs and symptoms across multiple organ systems. Korean J Fam Med. 2024;45(6):305-316. doi:10.4082/kjfm.24.0085
4. Hou Y, Gu T, Ni Z, Shi X, Ranney ML, Mukherjee B. Global prevalence of long COVID, its subtypes, and risk factors: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2025;12(9). doi:10.1093/ofid/ofaf533
