The WHO recommends that patients with COVID-19 – both confirmed and suspected – have access to follow-up care if they experience persistent, new or changing symptoms.
This is one of the recommendations made by WHO in the revised clinical management guidelines.
Evidence was collected on the post-COVID condition, called ‘COVID long’, in which people who recovered from COVID-19 continue to experience long-term problems such as extreme fatigue, persistent coughing and exercise intolerance.
Understanding this condition is one of WHO’s priority areas of work. In February 2021, WHO will organize a series of consultations to reach consensus on the description of this condition and its subtypes and case definitions. This scientific understanding will inform the name of the disease. Consultations will include a wide range of stakeholders, including patient groups.
For patients with COVID-19 at home, the WHO suggests using pulse oximetry to measure blood oxygen levels. This needs to be coordinated with other aspects of home care, such as patient and caregiver education and regular patient monitoring.
For hospitalized patients, the WHO suggests using low-dose anticoagulants to prevent blood clots from forming in blood vessels (thrombosis).
For hospitalized patients who are taking supplemental oxygen (including high-flow nasal oxygen) or non-invasive ventilation, WHO suggests positioning patients face down to increase oxygen flow (awake in the prone position).
The guidelines also include recommendations on the use of care bundles to systematize care delivery to COVID-19 patients, as well as a recommendation to favor clinical judgment on models in patient care decision-making.
The recommendations were made by an independent panel of experts, the Guidelines Development Group, based on rapid and detailed analysis of all available evidence.
The guidelines are a living document, updated regularly as more data becomes available.