Long COVID in Australia

What long COVID is

The World Health Organization defines post COVID-19 condition as symptoms that occur “usually 3 months from the onset of COVID-19”, last “at least 2 months”, and “cannot be explained by an alternative diagnosis”. Symptoms can be new or persisting, and can fluctuate or relapse.¹ The Australian Government adopted this definition in 2024 and prefers the term post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), while acknowledging that people use “long COVID” for any symptoms lasting more than 4 weeks.^2,3

More than 200 symptoms have been described. The most common are fatigue, breathlessness and cognitive dysfunction (brain fog).^1,4 There is no test for long COVID.

Long COVID and ME/CFS

Long COVID is an umbrella term. Some people have lasting lung, heart or clotting problems. Others, especially those with post-exertional malaise, have an illness indistinguishable from ME/CFS.

• In the largest population-based study (US RECOVER, 11,785 infected adults), 4.5% met ME/CFS criteria after COVID, compared with 0.6% of uninfected people.⁵ Observational
• In clinic and community samples of people already diagnosed with long COVID, the proportion meeting ME/CFS criteria is much higher: 45–59% in Berlin cohorts and 58% in a US community survey.^6,7,8
• Griffith University found that people with long COVID and people with ME/CFS had the same quality-of-life and disability scores over 12 months, both far below healthy controls.⁹
• The Australian Government’s 2026 research round now specifically funds studies comparing PASC with ME/CFS, POTS and fibromyalgia.¹⁰

Emerge Australia’s position is that management should be the same: pacing, rest and stepwise symptom management, with a warning that graded exercise can harm people with PEM.¹¹ A 2026 review of 14 trials found exercise reduced fatigue in some Long COVID studies, but the evidence was of low certainty and the authors themselves warned about post-exertional malaise. If you have PEM, pacing remains the safer approach.¹² In October 2026 the first large randomised trial of structured pacing (US RECOVER, 300 people with PEM) reported fewer and milder crashes than usual care, although participants knew which group they were in and the results aren’t peer-reviewed yet.¹³

Recent treatment trials

• Low-dose naltrexone (LDN): a 160-person Canadian trial found it no better than placebo on fatigue or any other outcome (full results October 2026, not yet peer-reviewed).¹⁴ See Medications.
• Low-dose prednisolone (a steroid): a 4-week course eased symptoms slightly in a German trial of 323 people, but by less than a noticeable amount. B vitamins didn’t help.¹⁵
• “Microclots”: a UK study of 117 people who were never in hospital found no clotting abnormality, and the authors say blood thinners aren’t justified outside trials.¹⁶
• More results are on 2026 results. See After COVID vs glandular fever and ME, CFS, POTS & related conditions.

How many Australians have it?

The honest answer is that nobody knows precisely, because Australia has no national registry and the studies use different definitions:

In other words: somewhere between a few hundred thousand and over a million Australians, with women, people aged 40–69 and people with pre-existing conditions at higher risk.¹⁸

You may see reports of a very large US insurance-claims study (October 2026) suggesting earlier estimates overstated how many health conditions COVID causes in the long term. It compared people who tested positive with people who tested negative. Claims records capture fatigue and brain fog poorly, and the authors say their findings don’t mean later symptoms aren’t genuine, so it tells us little about ME/CFS-type Long COVID.²²

What the government has done

In April 2023, a parliamentary inquiry published “Sick and tired: casting a long shadow”, with nine recommendations including a national database, evidence-based guidelines co-designed with patients, a coordinated research programme, better vaccination and antiviral access, GP-led care, indoor air quality standards, and funding for ME/CFS research and support.²³

The Government response in February 2024:²

• Adopted the WHO definition and released a National PASC Plan built around GP-led care, with a longer (60+ minute) Medicare consultation item and MyMedicare registration.³
• Committed $50 million over five years through the Medical Research Future Fund for long COVID research, with grant rounds in 2023, 2024 and 2026.^24,10
• Did not fund public hospital long COVID clinics (left to the states) or commission new clinical guidelines.
• Provided $880,000 to Emerge Australia for ME/CFS and long COVID patient support.

Guidelines: Australia’s COVID-19 living guidelines, including advice on care after COVID, lost funding in 2023 and were retired in 2026.²⁵ As of September 2026 there is no current Australian clinical guideline for long COVID. GPs rely on RACGP resources, the NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation’s clinical practice guide, and international guidance.

Where to get care

Most public long COVID clinics have closed. About 23 clinics opened during the pandemic; by late 2023 the Royal Australasian College of Physicians reported that nearly all metropolitan clinics had shut and none operated regionally, and by November 2025 only a few public services remained.^26,27 St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, which treated more than 1,000 patients, closed its clinic in September 2025.²⁸

Your GP is the front door. The National PASC Plan is built around GP-led care.³ Useful tools:

• A GP Chronic Condition Management Plan (which replaced GP Management Plans in July 2025) gives Medicare-subsidised allied health visits, e.g. an occupational therapist for pacing.²⁹
• The long consultation item for complex appointments.
• Telehealth for follow-ups.
• Ask for the same tests and POTS assessment as for ME/CFS.

Services still operating (as at September 2026, verify before referral):

Lung Foundation Australia and COVERSE keep clinic lists.^34,36

Australian research you can join

Australian long COVID research is growing thanks to the MRFF funding. Studies and trials with public contacts include:

• NALCOVID (Griffith University): placebo-controlled trial of low-dose naltrexone for long COVID brain fog, sleep and pain. Now completed. Griffith’s next LDN trial, TreatMELC (ME/CFS and long COVID), opened in October 2026. See trials.
• ADAPT (St Vincent’s Sydney / Kirby Institute): long-term observational cohort; SVHS.ADAPT@svha.org.au.³⁷
• SAGE trial (UNSW, from 2026): a $3 million trial of a scalable GP and allied health model for long COVID in primary care.³⁸
• HEAL APT (Burnet Institute): a planned adaptive platform trial testing several treatments, in partnership with Emerge Australia and the Australian POTS Foundation; not yet recruiting.³⁹
• STRONGER (George Institute): atorvastatin for neurological long COVID. Recruitment has closed with 190 participants (fewer than the 410 planned); results haven’t been published yet.^40,41
• The CRE-PAVING post-viral research centre runs an annual Long COVID Conference (1–2 October 2026, Brisbane) and lists recruiting trials.⁴²
• Join the AusME registry and OMF StudyME to hear about new studies. See Clinical trials & studies.

Reducing your risk

Vaccination. A 2025 meta-analysis of 31 studies found vaccination is associated with about 23% lower odds of long COVID, and boosters lower it further, although the evidence quality is low.⁴³ Large European cohorts found vaccinated people had roughly 30–50% lower risk.⁴⁴ In Australia, from 1 October 2026, free COVID-19 vaccines are only available to certain groups at higher risk of severe illness. Ask your GP or pharmacist whether you are eligible; if you’re not, you can still pay for a vaccine privately.^45,46 If you already have ME/CFS, discuss timing with your doctor, since some people react strongly.

Antivirals. A small placebo-controlled trial of an anti-COVID antibody (AER002, 36 people) also found no benefit over placebo.⁴⁷ Paxlovid does not treat established long COVID. Several randomised trials have found no benefit, including RECOVER-VITAL (959 people, 2026), which tested courses of up to 25 days.^48,49,50 Whether taking it during the acute infection prevents long COVID is unclear, with mixed observational evidence and no trial in low-risk people. In Australia it’s PBS-subsidised for higher-risk groups if started within 5 days of symptoms.

Reinfection. Each infection carries a fresh risk. In a UK community study, 4% developed new long COVID after a first infection and 2.4% after a reinfection.⁵¹ In children, reinfection roughly doubled the risk of a long COVID diagnosis.⁵² For people who already have long COVID or ME/CFS, a new infection is the most common trigger for a serious relapse. Masks in crowded indoor spaces, ventilation and staying away from sick contacts are reasonable precautions. See Pacing.

Work, money and support

• Sick leave: full-time employees get 10 days’ paid sick leave a year, which accrues; employers can ask for reasonable evidence.⁵³
• Flexible work: after 12 months’ service, employees with a disability can formally request flexible hours or location.⁵⁴
• Discrimination: disability is a protected attribute under the Fair Work Act; Fair Work Infoline 13 13 94.⁵⁵
• Income support: see Centrelink & the DSP and ME/CFS and the NDIS. Long COVID is assessed under the same rules as ME/CFS.
• Pacing is the core self-management strategy. healthdirect’s “3 Ps” are pace, plan and prioritise.⁴ See Pacing.

Support organisations

• Emerge Australia covers long COVID as well as ME/CFS: free telehealth nurse support on 1800 865 321 (press 1), Monday–Friday 9am–4:30pm AEDT, plus support groups and online education.^56,57
• Long COVID Support Australia: a peer community run by people with lived experience.⁵⁸
• Long-COVID Australia Collaboration: researchers, clinicians and patients; runs panel discussions and an online community.⁵⁹
• Lung Foundation Australia: helpline 1800 654 301.³⁴
• healthdirect: 1800 022 222, 24 hours.⁴