Attention note
The Guidebooks presented here summarize the content of the Swiss Post-COVID recommendations for primary care physicians. All information given is based on the official recommendations, which were mandated by the FOPH and developed by Swiss experts.
Summary of the post-COVID Recommendations for primary care physicians
Attention note
The Guidebooks presented here summarize the content of the Swiss Post-COVID recommendations for primary care physicians. All information given is based on the official recommendations, which were mandated by the FOPH and developed by Swiss experts.
In these guidebooks the key messages for patients from the recommendations on post-COVID management for primary care physicians are summarized. The full version of the recommendation is available on here.
Diagnosis and treatment recommendations are an important element of medical care and guide the effective management of patients with certain diseases, including post-Covid-19-condition (Long COVID). In August 2023, uniform recommendations were published for the treatment of patients with post-Covid-19-condition for primary care physicians by the FOPH in Switzerland. These guidelines ensure that patients with post-Covid-19-condition receive an on-time diagnosis, optimum care and, if necessary, are referred to specialized treatment. The recommendations are a joint effort of the Geneva University Hospitals and Inselspital, as well as numerous Swiss societies, patient platforms and associations, with the contribution of several experts and patients nationwide. This work was mandated by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) and supported by the Federation of Swiss Doctors (FMH). Here, we summarize important information for patients with post-Covid-19-condition and their relatives. This summary for patients was drafted by the Altea editorial Team and reviewed by the FOPH.
What is Long COVID?
In 2021, the WHO issued a definition of post-Covid-19-condition, which is explained in more detail here. On the Altea website, the term “Long COVID” is mainly used for this condition. Since the WHO definition coined the term post-Covid-19-condition to describe this condition, the term post-Covid-19-condition was used in the recommendations and hence, is also used in this summary. Briefly, post-Covid-19-condition is defined as signs, symptoms and conditions that occur within three months of an initial SARS-CoV-2 infection, last for at least two months and cannot be explained by an alternative diagnosis. Patients with post-Covid-19-condition can experience a wide range of symptoms, including fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, sleep disorders, shortness of breath, headaches, pain and digestive or psychiatric disorders. A separate definition was recently published for children.
The summary of the recommendations for non-health care professionals is divided into two guidebooks. The first guidebook comprises the symptom-based assessment of the post-Covid-19-condition. The second guidebook focuses on treatment and reintegration options and provides some additional information on vaccination and Long COVID in children. Moreover, a summary of all symptoms and the recommended treatment is available here.
