On Jun. 11, 2024, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released a new report that stated the federal government, state and local authorities, clinicians, medical societies and organizations, public health practitioners, employers, educators, and others should adopt a new definition for “Long COVID.” — that it is an infection-associated chronic condition that occurs after COVID-19 infection and is present for at least three months as a continuous, relapsing and remitting, or progressive disease state that affects one or more organ systems.

Long COVID has profound medical, social, and economic consequences worldwide. While several working definitions currently exist, no common definition for Long COVID has been agreed upon. The lack of a consensus definition presents challenges for patients, clinicians, public health practitioners, researchers, and policymakers. For patients, varying presentations of the disease and competing definitions can lead to difficulties accessing medical care or obtaining support, skepticism and dismissal of their experiences, delayed or denied treatment, and social stigma.

Recognizing the need for broad input and an improved definition, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) asked the National Academies to take up the issue of defining Long COVID. The committee that wrote the report engaged more than 1,300 participants in its activities, with a focus on interdisciplinary dialogue and the patient perspective.

The report says the new Long COVID definition can be applied to many purposes — including clinical care and diagnosis; eligibility for health services, insurance coverage, disability benefits, and school or workplace accommodations; public health; social services; policymaking; epidemiology and surveillance; private and public research; and public awareness and education, especially for patients and their families and caregivers.

The report recommends OASH’s Office of Long COVID Research and Practice and the Long COVID Coordination Council, comprised of 14 federal agencies, lead wide dissemination and implementation of the new definition. OASH should reexamine and update the definition for Long COVID in no more than three years, or when triggered by the emergence of new evidence — such as improved testing or changes in Long COVID demographic patterns or in special populations.