All questions about ME/CFS and long COVID

Is long COVID the same as ME/CFS?

Not exactly, but they overlap a lot. Long COVID is when COVID symptoms last more than twelve weeks; it often shares the same symptoms as ME/CFS, including the crash after effort.

The most common long COVID symptoms are fatigue, breathlessness, aching joints and muscles, and brain fog; others include palpitations, dizziness, sleep problems and anxiety. Symptoms can come and go, and new ones can appear. Symptoms in particular organs, such as the heart or lungs, or loss of smell, are more typical of long COVID. People should see a doctor, who may refer them to a post-COVID service.

Sources

• NHS: Long-term effects of COVID-19 (long COVID)
• ME Association: What are ME/CFS and long COVID? (summarises the NICE 2021 guideline)
• World Health Organization: Post COVID-19 condition (long COVID), fact sheet

Reviewed 2026-11-09 · next review 2027-11-09