For many recovered coronavirus patients, life may never return to what it was before.

To better understand its lasting impact, The Japan Times spoke to individuals who contracted the virus, became hospitalized and have since made full recoveries.

Individually, their stories don’t substantiate any speculation or postulation about the nature of this new virus or the government's response to it. Collectively, however, they paint a more complete picture of the residual consequences of the deadly virus — be it the loss of a loved one or a prolonged sense of stigmatization or guilt — and subvert the often false assumption that normal life will resume simply because one has recovered.