A prominent Australian doctor advocates for the discontinuation of the term “long COVID,” following a Queensland Health study that reveals long-term effects of COVID-19 are comparable to those of other respiratory viruses, such as influenza. The research, which assessed over 5,000 Queensland residents displaying respiratory symptoms during the Omicron wave, found that nearly half tested positive for COVID-19, while a significant number also had influenza.
The study indicated that long COVID symptoms are indistinguishable from those of seasonal influenza, with no notable increase in moderate-to-severe functional limitations one year post-infection. Queensland Chief Health Officer John Gerrard suggested that the surge in attention to long COVID stemmed from a high volume of COVID-19 cases and urged the medical community to abandon the term, stating it fosters undue fear and hypervigilance regarding symptoms that can hinder recovery.
While many experts support the findings, not all agree on discarding the term “long COVID.” Some, including Professor Philip Britton, argue that specific circumstances surrounding the vaccinated cohort and the nature of the Omicron variant may account for the similarities in outcomes, highlighting the need for further investigation into the unique characteristics of long COVID compared to other post-viral syndromes.