The Long COVID Support Online Community is a space for people affected by Long COVID to connect and support each other, share their experiences, stay abreast of latest news and research and to hear about available treatment options and support services. This includes individuals affected by Long COVID as well as family, friends, carers and the broader community.

 

What does membership mean?

Membership allows you to get involved in online conversations, either by commenting on threads and comments posted by others, and/or starting your own threads.

 

Please note you must be over 18 to join the online community.

 

Your anonymity

We encourage you to consider how much information you share in this space, in relation to your own privacy. When selecting your username, you may use your real name or prefer to choose something that helps give you some anonymity. You may also consider how much identifying information you share in the community. Please be aware that the community is an open, online space where anyone can read the information, stories and advice shared.

 

Who runs the group?   

The group is managed by the ALCC.

 

To use the Long COVID Support Australia website and Online Community you must accept the website Terms and Conditions and agree to following these Community Guidelines. 

 

Keeping the group safe and supportive

In order for this community to be inclusive and safe for everyone, please be respectful of each other at all times. We want this space to be a kind and supportive environment for all members.

 

The moderation team will remove any posts, pics or comments that:

• Are likely to offend others

• Are obscene, abusive, threatening violence or potentially defamatory

• Contain potentially harmful or inappropriate advice – including spreading disinformation about COVID / Long COVID

• Are racist, sexist, homophobic or discriminatory in any way

• Contain hateful or defamatory remarks about individuals, services or organisations

• Are acts of trolling (deliberately posting offensive comments to get a reaction)

• Infringes the copyright or confidentiality of any person or organisation

• Anti-vax related content (please see below paragraphs for further information)

 

Decisions about appropriateness will be made at the discretion of the community moderators, all decisions are final. 

 

How should you get involved?

We want you to get as involved as you want to in the group. Create your own posts, comment on other people's posts, respond to people’s questions and give your view!

 

This is a space for you to connect with others and feel supported. You could post about:

• Your journey so far

• Things that have helped you

• Questions about where others have found support or how they are managing

 

What shouldn’t you post?

• Negative comments that are directed towards other members. The community is a positive space to keep everyone connected. Please remember to be kind – everyone here is having a hard time.

• Criticism of individual health professionals or services where they can be identified.

• Comments attempting to force your opinion onto others.

• Promotion of products or services from which you profit.

• Anti-vax material will not be accepted. Although questions, concerns and reasonable discussion are okay (at the discretion of the admins). A forum member can post about how they were affected by a vaccine, but they cannot post generalised statements about vaccines which they heard or read. We really want this to be a helpful and compassionate place for sick people!

 

Members with research, media or commercial interests

Media are not permitted to join the forum. However, you may send us an email at admin@longcovidsupportaustralia.com.au with a couple of sentences about your interest and inviting members to contact you by providing your phone number and email address. At the admin's discretion, we will post relevant information in the forum on your behalf.

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Any commercial or professional advice from anyone except from our facilitators will not be allowed. This includes legal, financial or medical advice, SPAM activity or posts demonstrating commercial interests.

 

Our facilitators will be clearly marked as Admin or Moderator in the Online Community.

 

Diagnostic or medical treatment advice based on unqualified individual experience or hearsay will not be accepted for publication. Please see above for a detailed explanation as to what content will be permitted.

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What happens if I breach the guidelines?

When taking part in our community, we ask that all posts and comments follow our guidelines. Posts or comments may be removed if they don’t conform with those guidelines. We understand that members might unintentionally break the rules and administrators will exercise the benefit of the doubt in determining whether a deliberate breach of guidelines has occurred. In such circumstances we will offer a suggestion as to how you could rephrase your post to conform with guidelines.

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Reporting

 

As a member of the community you have the right to feel safe.

 

If there is something which you feel breaches these guidelines or doesn’t feel right, please contact us here, explain what has happened as best you can and include links to the specific thread/s, and we will action it as soon as we can.

 

Removal of members

Repeated or serious breaches of the guidelines may result in removal from the community at ALCC's discretion.

 

If you have any questions about these guidelines, please contact us here.

 

Forum account restrictions

Individuals must only have one account. If you are removed from the forum you cannot sign up to a new one. This forum is intended for people who are over 18 and living in Australia or an Australian resident living overseas.

 

Your responsibilities

You are solely responsible for any content or material that you post or upload on the Online Community, or which is posted by another person using your username or password.

 

You acknowledge and agree that we may contact you via the email address you have provided for safety and engagement reasons.

 

By submitting content or materials to the Online Community, you agree that you have read, understood and agree to abide by these Guidelines and to ALCC exercising all rights in respect of such content or materials as are set out in these Terms and Conditions.

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Intellectual property

ALCC may, at its discretion, access, monitor and review all content or material which you submit to the Forums. By posting content on the Online Community, you grant to ALCC a perpetual, royalty-free, fee-free, non-exclusive, irrevocable, worldwide license (with a right to sub-license to our authorised nominees) to use, modify, copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce, publish, display and broadcast any of that material on this site as well as in any promotional or communication activities of ALCC conducted in Australia or overseas.

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Confidentiality and privacy

We will take reasonable steps to ensure the security and confidentiality of material which you post or upload onto the Online Community. However, we cannot guarantee that such material will be protected against any loss, damage, alteration or misuse.

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Privacy Policy

ALCC supports the National Privacy Principles. We are committed to protecting website visitors and the privacy of our members. We respect the confidentiality of personal details and do not provide our mailing list to outside organisations. We will only use personal information for the purpose it was originally collected, unless required by law or for member safety.

 

If you require more information about our privacy policy or would like to discuss your privacy concerns, please fill in the  Contact us form.

 

Updates to Community Guidelines and Terms and Conditions

We may amend the Terms and Conditions and these Community Guidelines at any time, which we will inform you about by posting them on the site. Please check regularly for amendments. Your continued use of the site indicates that you agree to the most recent Terms and Conditions and Community Guidelines.