While many may associate the new coronavirus with the flu, we can all agree that the aftermath is noticeably worse, with certain symptoms possibly causing permanent alterations in the body.

Often times post-recovery people may experience one or multiple of the following symptoms:

• Fatigue
• Anosmia (Lack of smell)
• Shortness of breath
• Myocarditis
• Mood swings
• Chest pain
• Insomnia

Fatigue is the most common post-COVID symptom, even though COVID-19 affects us differently, asymptomatic individuals may still experience more or less severe symptoms after recovery. Because your immune system is constantly fighting the infection and using your body’s resources in order to do so, your Central Nervous System gets exhausted. Fatigue often comes with lack of mental clarity, memory loss and attention problems that is induced by brain inflammation. Studies have shown that patients needing inpatient treatment because of newly diagnosed COVID-19 have reduced glucose metabolism in the brain, which is associated with impaired cognitive function.

In a similar manner COVID-19 can attack the olfactory nerve causing temporary anosmia or permanent in some rare cases. Underlying comorbidities play a significant role in the severity of symptoms.

Myocarditis was identified in vaccinated as well as unvaccinated patients that have gone through COVID-19. It’s one of the rare cases in which the virus affects the heart muscle by causing inflammation resulting in chest pain. The pathophysiology of COVID-19–related myocarditis is thought to be a combination of direct viral injury and cardiac damage due to the host’s immune response.

Blood clots can form due to the virus therefore causing blood vessel problems and potential heart attacks and strokes. Small blood clots block capillaries in the organs causing damage. As of now many long term COVID-19 effects are still unknown.