The long-term effects COVID-19 have brought into sharp focus the delayed consequences of acute infections. Such effects have been evident for many years: infants hospitalized with respiratory syncytial virus are at risk of recurrent wheeze in later childhood; scarlet fever can be followed by glomerulonephritis or rheumatic fever affecting the heart, joints and brain; measles can be followed by subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. The range and variety of these effects are only now becoming evident and the mechanism linking acute infection with delayed consequences are becoming better understood. The mechanisms of latency and persistence, the long-term alterations in the microbiome that may result from apparently transient infections and the reprogramming of the immune system are now being elucidated in molecular detail, but there is much still to learn. The overall goal of this meeting is to better understand the mechanism(s) associated with long-term sequelae, the populations most at risk and possible intervention strategies that might mitigate long-range effects. The meeting will appeal to research scientists, clinicians and industry delegates from diverse disciplines. Bringing together experts from fields that would not typically attend the same meeting will be invaluable, providing opportunities for trainees to present their research and build interdisciplinary networks.