if the team find signs of these damaging auto antibodies, then diagnostic tests and treatments could follow. but while we wait for science to catch up with this new disease, how long might our symptoms last? you know, is this a six month problem or a one year problem or a five year problem or a forever problem? none of us know. if you asked me to kind of, you know, place my bets from things that i know about other related, kind of post viral immunological effects, i'd be disappointed if most people with long covid weren't better or feeling quite a lot better within two or three years max, i hope. that's a long time to feel as ill, as many of us do. it could mean many thousands of people are off work for years, a significant impact on the economy and the nhs. my guesstimate is that the healthcare needs for those people run in to the billions,