Extreme tiredness with COVID: what to know

Fatigue may make ordinary tasks feel unusually demanding and may continue after fever or cough improves. Sleep may not restore your energy fully. The illness itself, dehydration, reduced eating, disturbed sleep and the strain of caring for yourself can all contribute. Fatigue can also have another cause, including anemia, medication effects or a separate infection. People receiving cancer treatment should tell their oncology team because infection symptoms and treatment effects can overlap.

Prioritise essential tasks, alternate gentle activity with rest, drink regularly and choose easy nourishing foods. Increase activity gradually only when your body tolerates it; a marked crash after activity is a reason to slow down. Keep notes on temperature, breathing, hydration, sleep and energy. Follow the isolation and treatment advice given by your clinician, and check before changing cancer medicines or taking new remedies.

Get emergency help for severe difficulty breathing, chest pressure, new confusion, fainting, blue or grey lips, or inability to wake. Seek urgent clinical advice for worsening breathlessness, persistent high fever, inability to keep fluids down, very little urine, severe weakness or a clear deterioration after initial improvement. If you have cancer or a weakened immune system, contact your care team early about new or worsening symptoms.

Ask whether your medicines should change, how to monitor oxygen or breathing if advised, when to resume normal activity, and whether fatigue could reflect anemia, infection or a treatment effect.