ABSTRACT
Long COVID is now a widely recognised chronic illness in a significant number of children and adults who contract SARS-CoV-2. Despite its prevalence, studies are only beginning to quantify its impact on the lives of those who develop the condition. One aspect of impact that has not been addressed to date is communication. This chapter examines the findings of a large-scale survey of 973 adults with Long COVID who reported their experiences of communication following infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The chapter begins with a definition of the Long COVID syndrome. It then examines the prevalence and nature of cognitive-linguistic difficulties (so-called “brain fog”) that occur as part of the syndrome. These difficulties compromise communication in adults with Long COVID across all modes of expression and reception: speech; writing; reading; and comprehension. Examining reports of these difficulties by adults with Long COVID provides a useful entry point to a discussion of their impact on work, social activities, and personal well-being. To quantify that impact and to understand how Long COVID affects communication-related quality of life, findings from the survey are presented. It is argued that communication is compromised in adults with Long COVID and that difficulties with communication significantly reduce quality of life in these adults.
