Recovery from coronavirus (COVID-19) can take time. The length of time will vary from person to person. The symptoms can also vary, so not everyone is affected in the same way. It’s important not to compare yourself to others.
To improve your physical and mental health, it’s important you:
Learn about Laura’s experience of having long COVID and what has helped her.
Learn about Chris’s recovery journey
To help with your recovery, you should consider:
There are lots of sources of advice and support. These include:
You can find services near you using Scotland’s Service Directory.
Read about:
During your journey, you may see a range of professionals with various specialist skills. They’ll help with different aspects of your recovery.
You may be referred for more specialist advice or help with your rehabilitation and recovery. The team at your GP practice will work with you and arrange any referral to the right service in your local health board. This could include:
Other specialists may be brought in depending on your specific symptoms, for example:
Your healthcare professional should always talk about your care with you, so you can agree on it together.
Knowing the right questions to ask can make all the difference.
To work out what support you need and make a plan with you about your recovery, your healthcare professional will talk to you about:
Your healthcare professional may also talk with you about whether you need further appointments to check your progress and recovery.
If your symptoms change, let your healthcare professional know. It could mean you need to be referred to a specialist or have more tests.
Your health is a personal subject. Speaking to your friends, family or colleagues about your symptoms may seem daunting. Only you will know how you would like to handle things. But if people close to you understand how your condition affects you, it’ll help them offer support if you need it.
When talking to others about long COVID, you might want to consider discussing:
The longer-term effects of coronavirus will be different for everyone. Some people may need time off work. Your return to work will depend on:
Further information about returning to work is available, including:
Read the resources:
Social care services are available to help people who need support to live independently, including as a result of a health condition.
This could include support with things like:
To find out what help you might need, ask your local council’s Social Work department for a free assessment of your care needs. This will help find out what your individual care needs are and how they can be met.
You may be worried about your finances after having coronavirus. You may have caring responsibilities. There are resources available to help:
Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s Advice Line nurses provide confidential advice, support and information to help people living with long COVID, or their family members.
To contact the Advice Line nurses:
You may find it helpful to connect with other people affected by long COVID to share experiences.
If you’d like to speak to other people affected by long COVID, or are looking for further information on long COVID, you can contact the following charities:
Last updated:
27 November 2023