Mapping long COVID across the EU : definitions, guidelines and surveillance systems in EU Member States : final report

A health crisis has arisen as an estimated 36 million people in the WHO European region suffer after a COVID-19 infection from persistent symptoms, termed "Long COVID" or "post-COVID conditions." Achieving a unified and effective response to Long COVID within the EU is challenging due to the diverse symptoms related to Long COVID and a lack of a generally accepted definition and diagnosis. The European Commission underscores the need for a harmonised approach, which has led to the establishment of the Network of Expertise on Long COVID (NELC) in 2023 to facilitate EU-wide collaboration. In order to support the work of the NELC, the EUHealthSupport Consortium was tasked to conduct a rapid mapping study. This mapping study aimes to provide insight into the current state of affairs regarding: 1) Long COVID definitions, 2) guidelines and intelligence on diagnosis and treatment, and 3) surveillance systems, as used/implemented EU Member States and beyond.