Long COVID and the importance of the doctor–patient relationship

A pandemic was declared in March 2020, due to a novel virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It was initially reported that COVID-19 infection could cause dramatic variation in clinical outcome, from asymptomatic infection through to multi-organ failure and death. Early data reported that 17% of people hospitalised due to COVID-19 would require intensive care, and 32% of these people would die.^1,2 Nationally, and internationally, planning focused on identifying and managing the very sick, and reducing people’s exposure to the virus. In primary care, in the UK, there was a move to remote consulting, with the majority of consultations being conducted by telephone or video, and face-to-face consultations being in the minority for the first time in the history of the NHS.³ The prominence of NHS 111 to differentiate between the ‘sick’ and ‘not sick’, and setting up ‘hot hubs’ for assessment of people suspected of having COVID-19 in the community, changed the face of primary care.⁴