Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) what you need to know

Your Covid Recovery is a website designed to help understand recovery from the long-term effects of Covid-19. You may wish to signpost it to patients. It is important to highlight that the ‘normal’ expected recovery pattern which is perhaps longer than some might expect: What is the normal recovery pattern? For most people who have had the COVID infection and are severe enough to need hospital care, we would expect from experience with other similar bacterial and viral infections that in around;

• 4 weeks most of the chest pains, and phlegm (sputum) should have reduced.
• 6 weeks cough and feeling breathless should have greatly reduced.
• 3 months most symptoms should have settled but tiredness may still be present.
• 6 months symptoms should have all settled.

Those who were admitted into intensive care will often find that recovery takes longer than this, possibly up to a year.

Do not contact your GP surgery about your COVID-19 vaccination status. GPs cannot provide letters showing your COVID-19 vaccination status.

Through the NHS App

You can access your COVID-19 vaccination status through the free NHS App. You can access the app through mobile devices such as a smartphone or tablet. Proof of your COVID-19 vaccination status will be shown within the NHS App. We recommend that you register with the app before booking international travel. For access via the NHS App you do not need to contact your GP.

The NHS App will continue to be developed with further updates in the future. This will include the ability to show your COVID-19 test results.

By calling 119

If you do not have access to a smartphone and know that the country you are travelling to requires COVID-19 vaccination status, you can call 119 and ask for a letter to be posted to you.

Request a letter only if you cannot access the digital service via the NHS App.

We expect the letter to take up to 7 working days to reach you.

The letter will be sent to the address registered with your GP. The 119 call handler you speak to will not be able to see your address to check this with you. If you have recently moved house, make sure you’ve given your new address to your GP practice before calling 119.