Over the past year, we have been inviting people to share what ongoing symptoms after COVID-19 feel like in their own words as part of our defining Long COVID Challenge on VOICE-Global.

We have received over 100 responses which capture the depth and breadth of symptoms experienced. One of our aims of this challenge was to use these responses to raise awareness of the symptoms of Long COVID, and their impact, in a way that is accessible, engaging, and impactful. As such, we have been working closely with Monique Jackson to develop illustrations which visually capture the range and impact of Long COVID symptoms. The poster includes descriptions of fatigue, joint pain, headaches, breathlessness, insomnia, brain fog and heart palpitations. For instance fatigue was described as ‘encompassing my entire being, it floods in uncontrollably like a weight on my body, leaving me unable to move…’ and breathlessness was described as ‘having a tight band round my lower ribcage so I can’t inflate my lungs’.

While we couldn’t include all the responses we received, we are continuing to look at ways to share these responses further.

Download the Defining Long COVID poster.