A human face behind the numbers
Behind every statistic is a real person living with the consequences of long COVID.
Sarah, from the United Kingdom, has been navigating life with the condition since January 2021. As she explains: “My life has been dismantled by a relentless series of losses: my hearing, energy, mobility, my career as a senior academic, and even the ability to cry”.
Five years on, the challenges remain severe. “Daily management depends on careful pacing, strict boundaries around energy use, and a willingness to cancel plans at short notice when symptoms flare,” she says. Despite medication, fatigue, chest pain and cognitive difficulties persist.
Sarah’s story underscores why tackling myths and false information matters: long COVID is real, complex and life-changing. Increasing understanding of the condition is essential to reducing stigma and supporting those affected.
Guided by international good practices in risk communication, the long COVID myth-busters series was developed to reflect the realities of patients’ experiences, share evidence-based facts, address misconceptions, and empower communities with reliable information to support informed decisions and those living with long COVID.
Seven patient stories from 5 European countries – Czechia, Iceland, Slovenia, Switzerland and the United Kingdom – were collected and paired with these myths to ensure authenticity. These stories illustrate the varied and complex ways that long COVID affects individuals, making the facts more relatable and fostering deeper understanding and empathy.