Long COVID: St Vincent’s Hospital to shut down NSW’s first dedicated clinic

Patients suffering debilitating respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological symptoms fear they will have nowhere to go after NSW’s first public long COVID clinic abruptly announced its closure after three and a half years.

St Vincent’s Hospital will close its dedicated long COVID service at the end of September, and transition patients into existing respiratory and rehabilitation services, a spokesperson confirmed on Thursday.

“With growing knowledge and clinical experience, it is now recognised that post-COVID symptoms are well managed within established specialist chronic and complex care services,” they said in a statement. “Patients will continue to receive the same comprehensive care but within well-established clinical frameworks and with specialist input available as required.”