Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly has confirmed federal health officials are developing a national strategy on how to manage cases of long COVID.

Speaking before a parliamentary inquiry on the impacts of long COVID, Professor Kelly said a timeline for when the strategy will be unveiled has yet to be finalised, but it is likely to be after the inquiry has wrapped up.

He said the health department had been tasked by Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler in devising a national plan.

“To develop such a strategy, whilst this committee is continuing to meet and to deliberate is fine, but to finalise that, we can’t do that until we receive [the committee’s] advice,” Professor Kelly said.