How long does Covid last and what stages do sufferers go through?

Emergence of new subvariant sparks fresh coronavirus fears

The emergence of a highly transmissible new Covid-19 subvariant, XBB.1.5, has revived concern about the spread of the virus in the UK this January.

A relative of Omicron, XBB.1.5 was first detected in the state of New York in October 2022, already accounts for more than 40 per cent of American cases and is said to be spreading more than twice as fast as BQ.1.1, one of the most common variations in the UK, according to The Guardian.

The variant has been detected in the UK and is thought to constitute at least 4 per cent of Covid viruses being sequenced.

There is some uncertainty around the current reach of the new subvariant in the UK, however, since only the genetics of a small pool of Covid samples are now analysed.

With the crisis-stricken NHS already under severe pressure from a number of winter illnesses, the public are being urged to get back into the habit of wearing face masks in public and staying at home if they feel unwell, although the government insisted the advice was “pretty longstanding” and not mandatory, as it has not been since July 2021.

Issuing back-to-school advice for parents on Monday, Dr Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), warned that flu and Covid are currently “circulating at high levels” while large numbers of scarlet fever continue to be reported, advising families to keep their young ones at home if they show signs of illness and for adults to steer clear of healthcare settings for the vulnerable “unless urgent”.

A diplomatic row has meanwhile erupted after a number of countries, including Britain and the US, reacted to a resurgence of coronavirus cases in China by requiring Chinese visitors to present a negative test at airports, a situation Beijing argued was not “science-based” and “unacceptable”, threatening “countermeasures based on the principle of reciprocity”.

All of which means it might be time for a refresher on the respiratory disease that burst out of Wuhan before bringing the world to a standstill in the spring of 2020 before the discovery of a workable vaccine gradually drew the lockdown era to a close.

Our knowledge of the disease has grown enormously since it first appeared but the threat posed by Covid continues to evolve as the virus itself mutates to survive.

The NHS lists the key symptoms as high temperature or shivering, a new and continuous cough, a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste, shortness of breath, feeling tired or exhausted, aches, headaches, sore throats, blocked or running nose, loss of appetite, diarrhoea and nausea.

The health service recommends taking a rapid flow or PCR test to determine whether you do have Covid, although this is no longer an official requirement and the tests are no longer provided for free in most cases.

Sufferers are also urged to stay at home and avoid contact with other people, particularly the vulnerable, if they believe they have Covid.

As to how long the disease lasts, the NHS explains: “Most people with coronavirus or symptoms of Covid-19 feel better within a few weeks.

“You may be able to look after yourself at home while you recover.

“While you’re ill, ask a friend, family member or neighbour to check up on you. Arrange a regular call or talk through a doorway (not face to face) so they can check how you’re doing.”

It offers guidance on how to cope with specific symptoms that might be causing discomfort while you recuperate here.

Dr Lisa Maragakis, senior director of infection prevention at John Hopkins Medicine, offers a more specific breakdown of the stages of Covid, identifying three distinct periods: incubation, acute suffering and recovery.

The first period, Dr Maragakis writes, is the time between your initial exposure to the infection and symptoms beginning to develop, which she says could occur after anywhere between two and 14 days.

“The incubation period varies among individuals, and it varies depending on the variant,” she explains.

The second period is the moment in which you are actively ill.

“Active illness can last one to two weeks if you have mild or moderate coronavirus disease, but severe cases can last months,” Dr Maragakis continues.

“Some people are asymptomatic, meaning they never have symptoms but do have Covid-19.”

Once these have passed, you will find yourself in the recovery period, during which some symptoms “such as lingering cough, on and off fever, weakness, and changes to your senses of smell or taste, can persist for weeks or even months”.

If you are concerned about any symptoms of Covid-19 you might be experiencing or believe they are getting worse, you are advised to visit 111.nhs.uk, call 111 or call your local GP surgery.