Profiles

Here, you can find any of the interviews on this site.



Jake

Jake developed Covid symptoms in late November 2020 at the same time as five of his classmates but didn’t have a positive Covid test. He felt that NHS doctors have tried their best but don’t know what’s going on, so…

  • Background

    Jake is a 16-year-old student living with his mother. Ethnicity: White British.

  • Age at interview 16
  • Kate

    In October 2020, Kate started to feel a bit unwell. Her symptoms deteriorated and she describes continuing to remain unwell for months. Kate says it was “a tough time to be ill” and that she was “just not able to…

  • Background

    Kate is 48 and lives with her partner and 2 children. Ethnicity: White.

  • Age at interview 48
  • Maria

    Maria developed Covid symptoms in late December and got a positive Covid test on her daughter’s third birthday party. Maria’s Long Covid symptoms have lasted longer than she thought, and she felt that her husband had to do a lot…

  • Background

    Maria is a 41-year-old woman living with her husband, 7-year-old son, and 3-year-old daughter, and works in local economic regeneration. Ethnicity: White British.

  • Age at interview 41
  • Heather

    Heather caught Covid early in the pandemic, and had a very slow recovery with ongoing symptoms. She felt that health professionals were dismissive of her symptoms. Heather was interviewed in December 2021.

  • Background

    Heather is a part-time teacher and farmer’s wife and they live with their six children on the farm in rural Northern Ireland. Ethnic background: Northern Irish.

  • Age at interview 48
  • Gerda

    Gerda became ill in the early days of the national lockdown in March 2020. She wasn’t tested until three months later, and both that and an antigen test came back negative. She was initially very poorly with fatigue, breathing and…

  • Background

    Gerda is a yoga teacher with two children, aged 8 and 13. Ethnic background: White British.

  • Age at interview 43
  • Charlotte

    Charlotte got Covid in October 2020 and say she was the “poorliest” she’s ever been with a virus. Charlotte feels that having Long Covid has had a big impact on her relationship with her children. Charlotte describes this as “heart-breaking.”…

  • Background

    Charlotte is 29 and lives with her partner and 2 children. Ethnicity: White.

  • Age at interview 29
  • Sara

    Sara developed Covid symptoms in March 2020 around the same time as her husband and daughter. While her husband bounced back, Sara and her daughter didn’t recover for a long time. Sara didn’t feel listened to by health professionals and…

  • Background

    Sara was interviewed in November 2021. Sara is a 39-year-old researcher living with her husband, 8-year-old daughter, and 6-year-old son.

  • Age at interview 39
  • Poppy

    Poppy developed Covid symptoms in late April 2020, but they got worse around September. Poppy has previously recovered from ME over 20 years ago and is optimistic about recovering from Long Covid too, but she doesn’t know when. Poppy was…

  • Background

    Poppy is a 57-year-old freight train driver living with her husband, and teenage son. Ethnicity: White English.

  • Lily

    Lily developed Covid symptoms in January 2020 after a “mad 18 months” working in elderly care but didn’t think it was Long Covid until much later. Lily has been worried about her Long Covid disrupting her daughter’s life. Lily was…

  • Background

    Lily is a 34-year-old geriatric doctor living with her husband and 4-year-old daughter. Ethnicity: White English.

  • Age at interview 34
  • Vonnie

    Vonnie first became unwell at the start of 2020. Eventually an antibody test confirmed that she had had Covid. Vonnie is the head of her family as her parents have passed on and so during this time she describes the…

  • Background

    Vonnie is 59, married and has 3 children and 2 step-children. Ethnicity: Black British.

  • Age at interview 59