It takes a courageous man to attempt a handbook about long COVID; this may be why two men wrote this one. Gez Medinger is a science journalist living with long COVID, and the second author, Danny Altmann, is a professor of immunology researching the condition.   

Together, they’ve produced a very readable and quite helpful book. Gez is the leading voice, darting about and covering as much ground as possible. Professor Danny replies and adds his observations in boxed sections. He writes as if he doesn’t want to dampen Gez’s enthusiasm but feels that he must add the occasional academic caveat. Overall, this alternation of voices works well and breaks up the accumulation of too much brain-fogging detail.   

Nevertheless, details are present in large quantities throughout the book. Gez explains over several chapters the features and causes of long COVID, who is susceptible, and which treatments are emerging. All this is up to date as of July 2022. He writes engagingly and optimistically, while Danny adds further scientific detail and critical appraisal.   

The other chapters are rather more broad-brush, covering long COVID and:  

• children  
• gender bias  
• mental health  
• sources of help  
• tips for managing symptoms  
• the emotional journey   
• what recovery may look like  

Although Gez has often based himself in the United States, these chapters focus primarily on what applies within the United Kingdom.   

The big limitation is that any book about long COVID can only be a record of what’s known as it goes to press. However, much of the background material here is permanently valuable. Patient experiences are vividly described and will help many readers feel that they’re not alone.   

But even two hard-working authors can’t hope to provide more than an approximate summary of all they could collect over a few months. For this reason, I would say that long COVID needs more than a handbook—it needs a living book. This would be an updated source of knowledge and advice, building up until long COVID is fully understood and eventually cured.   

It’s relatively easy to describe such an ideal resource but much harder to create it. It would need a committed team of people living with long COVID, researchers, health professionals, and writers. Many of us are trying, but we’re still some way from achieving that. In the meantime, books like this will be needed, not as permanent repositories, but as help along the way.  

 You can read more about The Long COVID Handbook here.