Former intensive care nurse Julie Mirtschen's life changed dramatically after she contracted both influenza and COVID-19 in March 2020. "I'd been hiking, I had been out doing weight training, working full-time, and within two weeks I couldn't walk up the stairs properly," said the 43-year-old resident of Port Macquarie, New South Wales. Diagnosed with long COVID in 2021, Mirtschen also developed Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), which led to severe heart issues and debilitating fatigue. This condition forced her to reduce her work hours, impacting her finances.

"I've lost my career. I can't do shift work like I used to," Mirtschen explained. "I can't socialize like I used to, play sport like I used to, all of that is taken away. You adjust to being so seriously fatigued you forget what it's like to have these glimpses of being normal."

Research from the University of New South Wales indicates that Mirtschen is among approximately 870,000 Australians living with long COVID. She faced a lengthy and costly journey to receive her diagnosis, with some medical professionals attributing her symptoms to psychological issues. A friend recommended Clinic Nineteen, a virtual long COVID clinic based in Melbourne. Mirtschen described her experience with the clinic as "a light at the end of the tunnel," stating, "With one of the medications, it was like a light being turned back on. I was actually awake for the first time."

Access to long COVID services remains limited in Australia. Recent research by RMIT reveals that only three publicly run long COVID clinics are still operational. Six public hospital long COVID services have closed since 2023, including New South Wales' only in-person public clinic at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney, which shut down in September. Currently, patients can access a virtual service through the Sydney Local Health District, a public clinic in Victoria, and another in Western Australia.

Rose Luo and Zhen Zheng from RMIT noted that some long COVID clinics have transitioned to treating other chronic diseases, rather than remaining dedicated to long COVID care. Dr. Emma Tippett, founder of Clinic Nineteen, highlighted that many patients, like Mirtschen, are often misdiagnosed with anxiety or mental health issues when seeking help. "People with long COVID are absolutely being let down by the system," Dr. Tippett said. She acknowledged that while awareness of long COVID is improving, there is still a significant gap in understanding and treatment options for this complex condition.

In response to the growing need for care, the federal government adopted a primary care model focusing on GP-led treatment following a 2022 parliamentary inquiry into long COVID. Dr. Jenny Huang, a GP and director of a long COVID clinic in Geelong, emphasized that while GPs are well-positioned to manage long COVID patients, they lack the necessary support and resources. "GPs, especially in regional and rural areas, are already so stretched and under the pump," Dr. Huang said.

A new working group formed by the Royal Australian College of GPs aims to address these challenges and develop training for doctors on long COVID.

Karen Haskew, another long COVID patient from Ellenborough, New South Wales, shared her experience with ongoing treatment. After contracting COVID-19 on the Ruby Princess cruise ship in 2020, Haskew developed a brain condition and partial vision loss, which forced her to close her arts business. "It's been a long, long road," she said, noting that it took her until this year to manage her fatigue better.

Haskew expressed concern for those who may not have the financial means to cope with long COVID. "You couldn't do this if you had debt or were struggling financially," she said.

A spokesperson for NSW Health stated that while most long COVID patients would receive support from their GP, those with severe symptoms would be referred to appropriate public or private clinics through the "post COVID-19 conditions Health Pathway."

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler commented on the issue of public clinic closures and access to care for long COVID patients, noting that $50 million has been allocated to the Medical Research Future Fund for long COVID research, along with an additional $50 million for innovation in primary care.