The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) is conducting a series of public workshops to examine the working definition for long COVID used by the U.S. Government. This series of workshops will discuss the challenges and barriers associated with the current definition of long COVID and seek input from various stakeholder groups to refine this definition.
The current working definition of long COVID:
Long COVID is broadly defined as signs, symptoms, and conditions that continue or develop after initial COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 infection. The signs, symptoms, and conditions are present four weeks or more after the initial phase of infection; may be multisystemic; and may present with a relapsing–remitting pattern and progression or worsening over time, with the possibility of severe and life-threatening events even months or years after infection. Long COVID is not one condition. It represents many potentially overlapping entities, likely with different biological causes and different sets of risk factors and outcomes.
These workshops will provide an important opportunity for stakeholders to improve the definition and technical terms used to discuss long COVID, improve patient engagement, and create more harmonized efforts for clinical care, research, and surveillance. Through these workshops, patients, caregivers, researchers, practitioners, health agencies, health policy and advocacy organizations, payors, and health industry businesses can provide input and engage with others through different structured activities, as well as provide written comments to NASEM.
Do you agree with the current definition of long COVID?
Members of the public can submit written comments to NASEM through the Online Public Comment Portal through June 12, 2023. A short questionnaire is also available through May 12, 2023.
