The Implications of Long COVID for Rural Communities. While the definition of post-COVID-19 effects has evolved, experts have identified a range of health conditions that may include shortness of breath, chronic fatigue, tachycardia, exercise intolerance, and cognitive dysfunction. In an open-access article from The Journal of Rural Health, researchers report an estimated 7 to 22 million individuals in the U.S. may experience long COVID, with greater implications for rural economies and health delivery systems.