Online support
for long COVID
If you, or a member of your family, has a disability and experienced COVID
symptoms for more than 12 weeks, you may be eligible for online support.
This programme is free for people with disability, their support workers and/or whanau members who meet the following criteria:
- Have a physical or mental health condition or disability
- Continue to experience COVID symptoms 12 weeks after your infection started
- Support workers/whanau can participate on behalf of people with disability unable to attend the programme themselves.
To access this programme, you/your support or family member will need:
- Current email address to receive resources and links to online sessions
- Access to an appropriate device and stable internet
- Ability to attend an online meeting for 45 minutes
- Availability to potentially commit to an online group programme
What is long COVID?
There is no specific definition of long COVID that has been agreed upon internationally.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the United Kingdom describes post-COVID-19 as 'signs and symptoms that develop during or after an infection consistent with COVID-19, continue for more than 12 weeks and are not explained by an alternative diagnosis. It usually presents with clusters of symptoms, often overlapping, which can fluctuate and change over time and can affect any system of the body'.
What are some of the symptoms?
- Breathing issues
- General fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Low mood/depression
- Short-term memory loss
- Brain-fog, poor attention and memory, difficulty thinking
- Sleep disturbance
What does it cost?
This service is free to eligible clients. Limited places in this programme are available.
How is long COVID treated?
As long COVID is still new, scientists and healthcare providers are still working out the best ways to manage and treat it.
There are no specific treatments, and management usually involves managing the symptoms that affect you the most.
It is important to realise that recovery from viral infections can take a long time.
