Most people who catch Covid-19 don’t become severely ill and get better quickly. However, every person recovers at a different rate, and some people will experience longer lasting symptoms. If these carry on for longer than 12 weeks, you could have Long Covid.
Symptoms vary but can include:
- Fatigue
- Breathlessness
- Problems with memory and concentration (“brain fog”)
- Changes to your taste and smell
- Joint pain
If you’re worried about any of your symptoms four weeks or more after having had Covid-19, you can contact your GP. They should offer you an initial consultation and provide access to any further assessments or care that they think you need.
While specialist clinical services are available if you need them, you can also access services in your borough to help your recovery.
Supporting your Long Covid recovery in Croydon
Long Covid clinic
Croydon University Hospital is currently running a long Covid clinic specifically assessing patients who are experiencing ongoing COVID-19 symptoms following an infection consistent with Covid-19. After a referral from your GP or hospital discharge, the clinic may refer you onwards to the post Covid recovery support services which include:
- Physiotherapy
- Occupational therapy
- Speech and language therapy
- Psychology support
Post Covid-19 recovery service (therapy)
The post Covid-19 recovery service supports people with persisting symptoms of Covid-19. Working closely with patients, the service creates personalised support packages to aid recovery and reduce the impact of ongoing symptoms on a patient’s life.
Following an individual assessment, treatment may include fatigue education, group or individual physiotherapy and/or peer support groups.
Mental health support
- Croydon Talking Therapies – the local NHS talking therapies service.
- Mind in Croydon– Mental health service seeking to empower people to lead a full life as part of their local community
- Croydon Health and wellbeing space – Support and advice for mental health, wellbeing, finance and education
- Croydon Council’s mental health and wellbeing hub
Self Help, Voluntary Sector and Social Initiatives
- Your COVID Recovery– Supporting your recovery after COVID-19
- Worry Tree – Mental health and wellbeing app based on CBT
- Active Breathing Course – For anyone 12 or more weeks post-Covid with ongoing low-level anxiety, breathlessness and/or disordered breathing
Employment Support
- Citizens advice – Free information and advice service for legal, debt, consumer and housing issues.
- Acas – Free impartial advice on the workplace and free training
Recovery from an initial COVID-19 infection
Post-viral fatigue
How to manage post-viral fatigue after COVID-19 – advice from The Royal College of Occupational Therapists about managing post-viral fatigue after a stay in hospital due to COVID-19
How to manage post-viral fatigue after COVID-19 – advice from The Royal College of Occupational Therapists about managing post-viral fatigue after recovering at home with COVID-19
Fatigue management
How to conserve your energy – advice from The Royal College of Occupational Therapists about ways to conserve your energy as you go about daily tasks
Breathing
Voices of Hope – a free, six-week course devised specifically to help people recover from the impact of Covid and other respiratory illnesses in a fun, creative way.
Supporting your Long Covid recovery in Kingston
Self help, voluntary sector and social initiatives
- yourcovidrecovery.nhs.uk covers a wide variety of symptoms that you can experience after having Covid-19
- Anosmia and Parosmia: Information around changes to your sense of smell. For any ongoing loss of smell or taste abscent.org and fifthsense.org.uk have some retraining advice.
- Voices of Hope – a local charity offering a free six-week active breathing course, for anyone with ongoing low-level anxiety, breathlessness and/or disordered breathing, at least 12 weeks or more after their diagnosis of Covid-19. Based around singing.
- Talking therapies – you may benefit from talking therapies if suffering with ongoing symptoms after having Covid-19.
- worry-tree.com can help you take control of your worries using cognitive behavioural therapy.
- MIND offers mental health information and support.
- iCope offer guided self-help and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Long Covid symptoms.
- Connected Kingston Find up to date information and support in Kingston to help you take care of yourself and your community.
- The Kingston Stronger Together Community Response Hub is for Kingston residents who want to access local support after being impacted by Covid-19. To find out what support and advice services are available visit kingston.gov.uk/COVID-19 To request help fill out this form or call 020 8547 5000 Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.
- Self Help UK is a chance to talk to others who have survived Covid-19 and had similar experiences.
- How to manage post-viral fatigue after COVID-19 – advice from The Royal College of Occupational Therapists about managing post-viral fatigue after a stay in hospital due to Covid-19
- How to manage post-viral fatigue after COVID-19 – advice from The Royal College of Occupational Therapists about managing post-viral fatigue after recovering at home with Covid-19
- Post-Viral Fatigue – A Guide to Management (PDF) – advice from the British Association for chronic fatigue syndrome and ME around post-viral fatigue
- How to conserve your energy – advice from The Royal College of Occupational Therapists about ways to conserve your energy as you go about daily tasks
Supporting your Long Covid recovery in Merton
Self help, voluntary sector and social initiatives.
- Merton Covid-19 Community Response Hub – information and support for isolated households and those at risk from Covid-19.
- Royal College of Occupational Therapists – information and advice.
- Age UK – tips and advice to help stay safe and well during the pandemic.
Merton Council
- Merton Council COVID-19 information page – the main council page linking to help and advice during the pandemic.
Mental health support
- Merton Uplift – the local NHS talking therapies service.
Supporting your Long Covid recovery in Richmond
Self help, voluntary sector and social initiatives
- yourcovidrecovery.nhs.uk covers a wide variety of symptoms that you can experience after having Covid-19
- Anosmia and Parosmia: Information around changes to your sense of smell. For any ongoing loss of smell or taste abscent.org and fifthsense.org.uk have some retraining advice.
- Physiotherapy for breathing pattern disorders resources for physiotherapists – advice and resources for the treatment of breathing pattern disorders
- Voices of Hope are a local charity offering a free six-week active breathing course, for anyone with ongoing low-level anxiety, breathlessness and/or disordered breathing, at least 12 weeks or more after their diagnosis of Covid-19. Based around singing.
- Talking therapies – you may benefit from talking therapies if suffering with ongoing symptoms after having Covid-19.
- The Richmond Wellbeing Service is there to help if the pandemic has affected you. They have tailored programmes of support for those suffering with the physical and mental health effects of Covid-19.
- worry-tree.com can help you take control of your worries using cognitive behavioural therapy.
- MIND offers mental health information and support.
- Self Help UK is a chance to talk to others who have survived COVID-19 and had similar experiences
- How to manage post-viral fatigue after COVID-19 – advice from The Royal College of Occupational Therapists about managing post-viral fatigue after a stay in hospital due to Covid-19.
- How to manage post-viral fatigue after COVID-19 – advice from The Royal College of Occupational Therapists about managing post-viral fatigue after recovering at home with Covid-19.
- Post-Viral Fatigue – A Guide to Management (PDF) – advice from the British Association for chronic fatigue syndrome and ME around post-viral fatigue
- How to conserve your energy – advice from The Royal College of Occupational Therapists about ways to conserve your energy as you go about daily tasks.
NHS services
- Richmond Long Covid Service – an NHS service for adults living in the borough of Richmond if you have been adversely affected by COVID-19 for at least 12 weeks or more after your diagnosis.
Richmond Council
- The Community Independent Living service can help if you need support living independently
- Care Place offers links to care and community services, information and guidance covering Richmond and across London.
- You can refer yourself for social care if you need help managing your day to day life.
- Listen to Richmond Council’s podcast, Talk Richmond, where local experts discuss Long Covid and the work they are doing to help people manage their symptoms.
- You can watch a film featuring local Councillor, Jim Millard, talking about his experience of Long COVID and local services.
Supporting your Long Covid recovery in Sutton
Self help, voluntary sector and social initiatives
- Citizen’s Advice Sutton – free, confidential and impartial advice to the residents of Sutton.
- Age UK Sutton
- African and Caribbean Heritage Association – promoting health and wellbeing, and providing support and informal education to members of the African and Caribbean community.
- Alzheimer’s Society Sutton – UK charity campaigning for change, funds research and supports those living with dementia.
- Sutton and Surrey Senior Citizens Club – providing a day relief service for the elderly and disabled, particular BME communities. The club delivers a range of activities to help improve physical and mental health and aims to foster mutual support and friendship among members.
- SACCO – Sutton African and Caribbean Cultural Organisation – SACCO is a registered charity working across the London Borough of Sutton, Croydon and Merton. SACCO help people of African and Caribbean heritage participate within the community, this includes providing leisure and enrichment activities.
- Carshalton Diabetes Support Group – The Carshalton Group, as part of Diabetes UK, aims to provide support, companionship, education and information for people living with diabetes.
- Wallington Community Wellbeing Charity – the group aims to overcome loneliness and isolation in Wallington.
Sutton Council
Mental health support
- Sutton Uplift – single point of access for all mental health related support.
- Sutton Mental Health Foundation – welfare advice, peer support, and practical support and assistance with mental health and medical appointments.
Supporting your Long Covid recovery in Wandsworth
Self help, voluntary sector and social initiatives.
- Royal College of Occupational Therapists – information and advice.
- Age UK – tips and advice to help stay safe and well during the pandemic.
Wandsworth Council
- Wandsworth Council Covid-19 health and wellbeing advice information and support during the pandemic.
- Wandsworth Adult Social Care Access Team information, support and guidance for adults with care and support needs, and those who look after them.
Mental health support
- Talk Wandsworth – the local NHS talking therapies service.