Aims: With a social media analysis of the discourse surrounding the prevalence of Long COVID in children and young people (CYP), this study aims to explore healthcare workers' perceptions concerning Long COVID in CYP in the UK between January 2021 and January 2022. This will allow to contribute to the emerging knowledge on Long COVID and identify critical areas and future directions for researchers and policymakers. Design: A mixed methods approach with a discourse, keywords, sentiment, and image analysis, using PulsarTM and Infranodus. Setting: A discussion of the experience of Long COVID in CYP in the UK shared on Twitter between 1 January 2021 and 31 January 2022. Participants: A sample of health workers with Twitter accounts whose bio has them identifying themselves as HCWs. Results: We obtained 2588 tweets. HCW were responsive to announcements issued by authorities regarding the management of COVID-19 in the UK. The most frequent feelings were negative. The main themes were uncertainty about the future, policies and regulations, managing and addressing COVID-19 and Long COVID in CYP, vaccination, using Twitter to share scientific literature and management strategies, and clinical and personal experiences. Conclusions: The perceptions described on Twitter by HCW concerning the presence of Long COVID in CYP appear to be a relevant and timely issue and responsive to the declarations and guidelines issued by health authorities over time. We recommend further support and training strategies for health workers and school staff regarding the manifestations and treatment of Long COVID in CYP.

There is still much unknown about the long-term consequences of COVID-19, otherwise known as post-acute sequelae of COVID (PASC). The challenge of defining the manifestation of Long COVID in children and young people (CYP) was specifically identified as a research subject by the National Institute for Health and care Research (NIHR). The lack of data relating to this age group and the impact the symptoms of PASC may have on the well-being and development of children have made research on this topic especially pressing. This healthcare policy study focuses on the applicability of Thompson et al.'s and Campbell and Carnevale’s frameworks in understanding the formulation and implementation of Long COVID healthcare policies. The analysis uses the ‘LISTEN’ method, applying a mixed method analysis of policy data and social media discourse analysis. Overall, the findings of this review of Long COVID policy guidelines for CYP and adults between 2020 and 2022, highlight increased public concern around the ethical aspects of policy-making, with high focus on Accountability and Responsiveness. The review concludes with several policy recommendations such as enhancing accountability through regular audits, promoting inclusiveness by incorporating CYP perspectives, ensuring transparency via regular updates, and maintaining equity in policy impact. Clinical policies should provide clear guidelines for healthcare providers, support mental health services for CYP and healthcare workers, and clarify school policies regarding Long COVID. Policymakers should also consider a health equity perspective in their Long COVID recovery policies.