Long COVID symptoms can be debilitating and NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) has recommended the use of health apps as a source of advice on self-management.

In a report published this week, ORCHA (the Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Apps), highlights ten apps which, cumulatively, help patients manage symptoms as diverse as chronic fatigue, heart palpitations, depression and concentration difficulties.

As yet, there are no apps which are designed specifically for Long COVID despite the fact that one in five people with confirmed COVID-19 cases experience symptoms that last for five weeks or longer, and one in ten have symptoms that last for twelve weeks or longer.

ORCHA points to the increased demand on primary care and community services presented by Long COVID. 

Liz Ashall-Payne, founding CEO of ORCHA, said: “There’s a sizeable opportunity for developers to work with patient groups and clinicians to meet this very particular need. And, for healthcare providers, specialised apps of this nature, designed to encourage self-management of very diverse symptoms, could offer a significant return on investment.”

ORCHA’S Long COVID app list includes: Fibricheck, which helps people log heart palpitations, Lumosity, which helps combat ‘brain fog’, Wysa which offers tools to combat depression and Sleepio, which helps to manage insomnia.

For the full ORCHA report on the self-management of Long COVID symptoms, visit: https://www.orcha.co.uk/news/health-apps-for-long-covid-self-management-report/