COVID-19 long-haulers: Canada's forgotten patients

What is it like to be sick with COVID-19 for months?

We asked more than 1,000 Canadians with long COVID about their access to care. Over 60 per cent of COVID-19 long-haulers said in the questionnaire they aren't getting the medical treatment they need and many others reported they are stuck paying hundreds of dollars — some spending $10,000 or more.

Catch up on past episodes of Marketplace anytime on CBC Gem.

More information for COVID long-haulers

Here are some additional resources on long COVID and a list of Canadian Post-COVID clinics that are treating long-haulers, confirmed to have had COVID-19, but not necessarily hospitalized.

At the time of publication, CBC counted six clinics.

• ONTARIO - The University Health Network Clinic at Toronto Western Hospital and the Urgent COVID-19 Care Clinic at the London Health Science

• BRITISH COLUMBIA - A collaborative network of three clinics including one at the Vancouver General Hospital, St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver and the Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre in Surrey.

• QUEBEC - La Clinique Ambulatoire Post-COVID du CIUSSS-CHUS.

The CANCOV study, is evaluating patients infected with COVID-19 for 1 year. It is recruiting non-hospitalized and hospitalized patients as well as family caregivers from Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia. The study will provide anti-body testing to confirm a diagnosis of COVID-9 prior to entry. 

Visit the NHS England's Your COVID Recovery website for information on managing the effects and improving wellbeing.

You can also refer to the U.K.'s NICE guidelines, which advises doctors on diagnosing and treating patients with long COVID.