Health Minister Mark Butler has pledged an additional $50 million in government funding to support research into long COVID. 

The announcement comes as a parliamentary inquiry into long COVID and repeat COVID infections issued its final report, with recommendations for establishing better data collection systems and support for GPs treating long COVID patients. 

Other recommendations include funding for state health departments to set up long COVID clinics and a national summit on Australia's response to COVID, including long COVID. 

The World Health Organization definition of long COVID will continue to be used clinically, but it should be reviewed as more research becomes available. 

The Royal Australian College of GPs has stated that some patients are missing out on opportunities for early intervention because they are forced to wait three months for a formal diagnosis. 

About 5 per cent of Australians who contract the virus suffer from long COVID, with up to 200 diverse and non-specific symptoms making diagnosis challenging. 

“This is real. It is having a real effect on people and in particular it is having a big effect on... productivity on the economy,” said Labor MP Mike Freelander, who chaired the inquiry.