The C19-YRSm questionnaire for Long COVID

Long COVID (LC) is the description used for the sequelae of SARS2 infection, lasting four weeks or more. LC can be episodic with a relapsing/remitting presentation and can affect multiple body systems, e.g. respiratory, cardiovascular and autonomic [1–3]. It may affect function, leading to sickness absence with a significant impact on workers and the economy [4]. The C19-YRSm questionnaire is the world’s first clinically validated, patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) for LC. The original 22-item C19-YRS (COVID-19 Yorkshire Rehabilitation Scale) was developed by the University of Leeds during the first wave of the SARS2 pandemic by multidisciplinary rehabilitation teams [5]. The questionnaire was designed based on clinical experience, a systematic literature review of previous infection outbreaks, and staff and patient feedback. In 2022, it underwent psychometric evaluation resulting in the 17-item modified tool, C19-YRSm [6], which is now used across the NHS and has been translated into numerous languages.