Warn Patients with COVID-19: They Could Be in for a Longer Haul Than They Think

Some corners of the public seem to have fallen back into the notion that, while patients with comorbid conditions are at higher risk, a case of COVID-19 is not that different from a bad case of influenza—you feel bad for a week or two and then you’re back on your feet. New data published in the Annals of Internal Medicine should help you disavow them of that misconception, however. An article there indicates that up to one-third of ambulatory patients were still experiencing symptoms 30 to 45 days after their diagnosis. The most common persistent symptoms among 669 patients who were followed between March and May 2020 were fatigue, dyspnea, and loss of taste or smell. Sharing this information with patients is essential in terms of setting realistic expectations for returning to normal activities, but also for giving patients peace of mind if they continue to feel ill longer than they might have expected.