Southeast Asian Experts Establish Consensus Guidelines on Long COVID

AI-assistance disclosure: This article was drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed below, checked against them automatically, and reviewed and approved by a human editor.

Medical professionals across Southeast Asia have published a comprehensive regional consensus addressing the definition, burden, diagnosis, and management of long COVID (PubMed: Tuberculosis). A panel consisting of twelve medical experts representing six distinct countries took part in the modified Delphi consensus study (PubMed: Tuberculosis). The collaborative initiative aimed to unify clinical approaches across the region as healthcare systems continue to grapple with ongoing post-infection complications (PubMed: Tuberculosis).

According to the study findings, the research team predefined consensus as an agreement level of 80% or greater (PubMed: Tuberculosis). This strict statistical benchmark meant that at least ten out of the twelve participating experts had to select the identical response for any given statement to pass (PubMed: Tuberculosis).

The panel established a precise clinical definition for the condition (PubMed: Tuberculosis). Experts defined long COVID as unexplained symptoms that persist for a duration of more than three months following an initial SARS-CoV-2 infection (PubMed: Tuberculosis). They emphasized that this condition remains distinct from general post-acute COVID-19 and requires no minimum severity threshold for a patient to be diagnosed (PubMed: Tuberculosis).

Regarding the broader epidemiological burden, the study reported that long COVID affects approximately 6% to 10% of individuals who contract SARS-CoV-2 (PubMed: Tuberculosis). Clinical data reviewed by the panel identified hospitalisation during acute COVID-19 as a primary risk factor for developing the lingering condition (PubMed: Tuberculosis).

The experts also evaluated several other potential risk factors and clinical variables during their deliberations (PubMed: Tuberculosis). They noted moderate endorsement for factors such as patient booster status, the absence of early antiviral treatment during the initial infection phase, pre-COVID health assessments, and the implementation of standardised patient-reported outcome tools (PubMed: Tuberculosis). Despite thorough discussions, the panel ultimately could not reach a final consensus on the specific past medical history required to diagnose long COVID (PubMed: Tuberculosis).

When addressing diagnostic procedures, the panel recommended relying on thorough clinical evaluations combined with symptom-guided testing (PubMed: Tuberculosis). For patient management, the guidelines strongly advocate for multidisciplinary care that is directed by specific patient symptoms (PubMed: Tuberculosis). This recommended care framework encompasses structured rehabilitation programs, physical pacing, and ongoing medical follow-up to support recovery (PubMed: Tuberculosis).

Prevention strategies also received significant attention from the regional expert panel (PubMed: Tuberculosis). Experts strongly backed vaccination and the active prevention of reinfections as essential risk-reduction strategies to lower overall long COVID rates (PubMed: Tuberculosis). Additionally, the guidance specifies that early antiviral treatment should be considered for high-risk individuals to prevent severe acute illness and subsequent hospitalisation (PubMed: Tuberculosis).

Regional healthcare authorities expect these standardized recommendations to improve consistency in diagnosing and treating long COVID patients across participating nations (PubMed: Tuberculosis). The findings provide a vital clinical framework for managing post-infection care in Southeast Asia (PubMed: Tuberculosis).

Sources

• Long COVID: A Modified Delphi Consensus on Definition, Burden, Diagnosis and Management in Southeast Asia (PubMed: Tuberculosis, 2026-11-07)