Long COVID Programme

About long COVID and our long COVID programme

Most people with COVID-19 recover in 2 to 6 weeks. For others, a full recovery will take up to 12 weeks. Some people report a diverse range of symptoms for weeks or months after the expected recovery period. 

In New Zealand, the clinical definition of long COVID is ongoing symptoms that continue 12 weeks or more after infection with SARS-CoV-2.

The Ministry of Health’s long COVID programme has been established to disseminate emerging models of care, clinical practice, patient self-management and digital enablement to support patients with long COVID in New Zealand.

Work programme principles

The programme is based on the following principles:

• giving effect to our obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi, including considering the interests and needs of Māori
• ensuring equity, which involves inclusiveness for all communities, particularly those most affected by COVID-19 outbreaks (ie, Māori and Pacific peoples)
• ensuring equity of access to services and outcomes,
• ensuring services are effective, timely and reflect best-practice as the evidence emerges
• ensuring services are patient centred, including patient self-management and digital enablement to support patients with long COVID
• long COVID symptoms are investigated, treated and funded in the same way as other long-term conditions.

Long COVID workstreams

Within the work programme, 4 workstreams are underway to support the development of the long COVID rehabilitation and service delivery guidance for New Zealand.

• Development of a service development toolkit (also known as a change package), including monitoring health districts with existing specific services for long COVID.
• Establishing an Expert Advisory Group to provide guidance and input into the long COVID rehabilitation guideline, with broad representation from Māori, Pacific peoples, researchers, clinicians, service providers and people with lived experience. This work has been completed.
• Monitoring emerging evidence to inform clinical pathways to identify and manage long COVID.
• Ongoing research to identify gaps that are particular to New Zealand and identify options for how they might be addressed.

Long COVID Expert Advisory Group

The Ministry established the Long COVID Expert Advisory Group in 2022 to assess the evidence on long COVID and apply it to the Aotearoa New Zealand context, to help inform recommendations for clinical practice and guidelines. The group has completed its work in 2022.

Clinical guidelines for long COVID

These guidelines were published in 2022 following the work undertaken by the Long COVID Expert Advisory Group.

• Clinical Rehabilitation Guideline for People with Long COVID in Aotearoa New Zealand
• Guidance for the Acute Phase of Rehabilitation of People with or Recovering from COVID 19 in Aotearoa New Zealand

Long COVID research

The Ministry of Health has funded a number of research projects on the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 and future pandemic responses. 

Impacts of COVID-19 study

In August 2021, Victoria University of Wellington was funded to undertake the Impacts of COVID-19 in Aotearoa—Ngā Kawekawe o Mate Koronastudy. 

This study aims to understand the experiences of people in Aotearoa New Zealand who have had COVID-19, and to learn about the short and longer-term impacts of COVID-19 on the health and wellbeing of individuals, whānau and families.

The study focuses particularly on Māori, Pacific peoples, people with disabilities (including long COVID), and people who developed COVID-19 through their employment. 

The study report puts forward 33 recommendations for planning for future pandemic preparedness. The lead health agencies will work together to consider the recommendations of the study and explore an implementation plan for agreed outcomes.

Other long COVID research

The following projects have also been funded by the Ministry:

• LOGIC study: LONG term health Impact of COVID-19: Waikato Hospital Cohort
• Burden of Long COVID in Aotearoa New Zealand: Establishing a Registry

The outcomes of these studies will be used to help inform responses to long COVID and future pandemic preparedness.

Find out more about COVID-19 and National Immunisation Programme research projects.