long COVID

We became familiar with the term long-haulers back in July for those people who do not seem to recover from COVID-19.  Their symptoms continue on, waxing and waning, but never entirely going away.  There is now increasing acceptance that this is a very real thing for some people although there is still only speculation as to the causes.  It may be a form of post-viral fatigue syndrome, or it may be the result of permanent damage to the heart or lungs.  It may be, as first conjectured, the continuing presence of the virus in the system with associated symptoms.  It was assumed that the patients with the worst case of COVID-19 would be the ones most likely to be affected in this way, but it turns out that someone who had no symptoms at all initially can be laid low by the long form of the disease.  So there are still mysteries but at least the syndrome has been recognised and given a name.