When you can’t find the words: Visualising Long Covid

Long Covid or post-covid syndrome is a chronic illness involving adverse long term health effects caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. It is widely agreed that millions are experiencing it worldwide, at varying levels of severity. Researchers have framed it as a ‘silent epidemic’ due to its complex health consequences, and the lack of data and follow-up on patients living with the disease.

By applying participatory and arts-based methods (body mapping) and interviews with people living with Long Covid in the UK, this project aims

1) to uncover the ways that patients experience their (ill)health, manage their health condition, and experience support from health institutions, and how these experiences vary depending on gender, race, ethnicity, age, and socioeconomic background, and

2) to provide a space for patients to share and discuss their experiences of living with Long Covid.

Our research team includes researchers and patients, and we engage with different community members, including patient support networks, local communities, and health professionals.