Health officials in San Luis Obispo County are asking the community to weigh in on the long-term effects of COVID-19.
On Monday, the Public Health Department put out a request to county residents who have tested positive for coronavirus to share about their experience in an online survey. Responses will give health officials a better view of the long-term symptoms of the virus.
"This follow-up is really about understanding how this virus is affecting residents' health over the long term, including people who had severe, mild or even no symptoms," Jessie Burmester, Public Health Epidemiologist for the county, said.
Burmester explained that researchers are learning more about Long COVID on a national scale; now, local health officials are trying to understand what it looks like in San Luis Obispo County.
The more than 50,000 residents who tested positive in San Luis Obispo County through community testing sites or a health care provider's office will receive a text message with a link to the survey.
County health officials say all responses are confidential.
Long COVID describes symptoms that occur weeks or months after a person first tests positive for COVID-19. Health officials say they can be new, returning or lingering symptoms from the original illness.