Australia's top doctor has confirmed federal health officials are developing an official strategy for how to deal with cases of long COVID.

Speaking before a parliamentary inquiry into long COVID, Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said the health department had been handed the task by Health Minister Mark Butler.

A timeline for when the strategy will be unveiled is yet to be finalised but it is likely to be after the parliamentary inquiry has wrapped up.

"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.

The World Health Organization has defined "long COVID" as patients continuing to have symptoms or develop new ones three months after the initial infection.

The chief medical officer said a clear definition would be needed going forward in order to provide more clarity, as well as more information for health professionals.

"The one we're using at the moment, the WHO definition … they're great for research purposes because they're so broad," he said.

"But in terms of trying to actually understand this thing, we have to get beyond it, and if no one else is going to do it, then we should do it here."

Patients waiting months to be seen

The inquiry also heard from Karren Hill, who has long COVID and is part of a Facebook group for others with the condition.

She said almost three years on from the beginning of the pandemic, there was still little known about the impacts.

"This country … is still in very early stages of its response and the scale of its impact in Australia is not always fully recognised," she said.

"Our challenges in terms of our health, jobs, careers, income and relationships and our future health outcomes are entirely unknown."