Update: Data Become Clearer on Long-Term Symptoms Even After COVID-19 Resolves

As more data on COVID-19 emerge, urgent care patients need to be educated on what to expect not only during acute illness (such as the need for quarantining and when hospitalization may be warranted), but also on the lasting effects of the disease even after it has resolved. The Lancet just published a study revealing that most patients (63%) still complain of fatigue or muscle weakness 6 months post resolution, with over 20% continuing to experience sleep difficulties and hair loss, and more than 10% still having olfactory disorders. Roughly 75% of patients who were hospitalized complain of at least one symptom of infection 6 months after discharge. Counsel patients that it’s likely they’ll continue to feel sick in one way or another for quite some time, and that a medical OK to return to normal activities does not necessarily mean resuming all activities to the same degree they were engaged in before the illness.