Long Covid in young people: a Delphi study on what young people and their families agree has been most helpful in their pathways to recovery.

Following infection with the SARS CoV-2 virus ("Covid"), a small number of people go on to develop "Post COVID-19 Condition", commonly referred to as "Long Covid". Frequently reported Long Covid symptoms in patients are "brain fog", persistent fatigue and shortness of breath. Due to the recent emergence of the condition, research into the best ways of treating Long Covid is limited. Some research has indicated that treatment for Long Covid often involves physiotherapy, occupational therapy and psychological therapy. What currently seems to be lacking is research into the perspectives of young people and their families in terms of what treatment, interventions and strategies are most useful for their recovery from Long Covid. The aim of the current Delphi study is therefore to reach agreement between young people who have received support from a Paediatric Long Covid Clinic on what they found most helpful on their journeys to recovery from Long Covid. In the first round of the Delphi process, young people and families accessing University College London Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Long Covid clinic will be invited to take part in an interview. The interviews will be analysed and common themes will be collated in a questionnaire. This questionnaire will be sent to the original interviewees, as well as a minimum of 30 other young people accessing other Long Covid Clinics across the UK. Participants will be asked to rate their agreement with the statements on the questionnaire during round 2 of the study. In the third and final round a personalised questionnaire will be sent out to establish consensus on the most helpful aspects of treatment. The proposed research is being carried out as part of a doctorate in clinical psychology, which is funded by the NHS. There is no additional external funding.