Got Covid? SLO County health officials want to know your long-term effects

The Public Health Department is reaching out to SLO County residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 to ask follow-up questions that will help health officials better understand the long-term health impacts of COVID-19.

More than 50,000 residents who tested positive through reported channels—such as community testing sites or their health care provider’s office—will receive a text message with a link to the follow-up questions. Those who tested positive with at-home tests may answer questions at slopublichealth.org/longcovid. All responses are confidential.

“This follow-up is really about understanding how this virus is affecting residents’ health over the long term, including people who had severe, mild, or even no symptoms,” said Jessie Burmester, County Public Health Epidemiologist. “Nationally, researchers are learning more about what we now call Long COVID—but we don’t have robust local data to put this in context. The feedback residents share will help us understand any emerging problems and identify resources to address them.”

Long COVID, or post-COVID conditions, are symptoms that occur weeks or months after initial infection. These symptoms may be new, returning, or lingering from the original illness. People who initially had no symptoms may later develop post-COVID conditions. While much is still unknown about Long COVID, information and resources are available. To learn more and find resources, visit slopublichealth.org/longcovid.

For updates on COVID-19 in SLO County, visit slopublichealth.org/COVID19. Phone assistance is available at (805) 781-5500 Monday - Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.