Long-hauler

What is a COVID long-hauler?

A person suffering long-term effects from COVID-19

People who continue experiencing COVID-19 symptoms months after their initial infection may be referred to as long-haulers. Long-haulers continue suffering shortness of breath, fatigue, chills, aches, and/or continued loss of taste and smell. People who were infected by COVID-19 but initially appeared asymptomatic can also become long-haulers, if symptoms begin appearing weeks or months after the person's infection.

How does someone become a COVID long-hauler?

While most people who experience COVID-related symptoms recover and return to normal health, some people's symptoms linger. If a person's symptoms linger for weeks or months after their initial infection, they are a long-hauler.

Those who experience severe cases of COVID-19 are more likely to become long-haulers than those who experience mild or no initial symptoms. However, those who experience mild symptoms or initially present as asymptomatic can also become long-haulers. The exact causes and mechanics of "long COVID-19" are not yet understood. The CDC is conducting long-term studies to understand how COVID will continue affecting people in the months and years to come.

What are COVID long-haulers' symptoms?

COVID-19 long-haulers may continue experiencing:

  • Fatigue
  • Shortness of breath (SOB)
  • Coughs
  • Aches
  • Difficulty thinking
  • Intermittent fevers
  • Loss of taste and/or smell

Some long-haulers may experience more severe symptoms, though those symptoms are less common.

Example

My mom's a long-hauler: she got COVID, got better after a couple weeks, but still gets a headache and can't smell anything
Man, that sucks. Hope she gets back to normal soon
COVID long-haulers may experience new symptoms months after their infection
COVID long-haulers may experience new symptoms months after their infection

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Updated March 25, 2021

Long-hauler definition by Slang.net

This page explains what the slang term "Long-hauler" means. The definition, example, and related terms listed above have been written and compiled by the Slang.net team.

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