The COVID-19 morbidities model has been widely used since 2020 to support Test and Trace and assess the cost-effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccination programme. The current iteration of the Long COVID model covers several morbidities associated with COVID-19, which are essential to plan for elective care in the future and identify which services to prioritise. However, there are uncertainties in the model around the long-term health-related quality of life (HRQoL) impact of COVID-19, which is

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... rimarily based on data for severe COVID disease or hospitalised patients at present. The COVID-19 morbidities model requires updating to address gaps and reflect the latest HRQoL evidence. The aim of this rapid review was to provide updated HRQoL evidence for the COVID-19 morbidities model to better support decision-making in relation to COVID-19 policy. Thirteen primary studies were identified. People who had an initial mild COVID-19 illness or were not treated in hospital can have a decreased HRQoL post-COVID. However, the extent, severity, and duration of this is not consistent. The evidence on the long-term impact of a mild COVID-19 infection on HRQoL is uncertain. Implications for policy and practice include: 1. An initial mild COVID-19 illness can lead to a reduction in HRQoL and impaired mental health, but there is evidence indicating that patients can show significant recovery up to normal levels after one year. 2. Employers should be aware that employees may have prolonged experiences of impaired mental health, including anxiety, depression, and fatigue, following COVID-19 disease, even if their initial disease was mild (not hospitalised). 3. Public health agencies should make patients with mild COVID-19 disease aware of the potential for ongoing symptoms and ways to mitigate and manage them through raised awareness and education. 4. Health Boards should review their provision of long-COVID services in relation to the extent of impacts identified. 5. Better quality studies that report longitudinal follow-up data on HRQoL for a representative cohort of patients who have had mild COVID-19 are required.