Covid relapsing? Is this a thing?

I’m a long hauler from the OG days, of the CFS variety (but I seemed to have had mild CFS prior). Covid set off a lot of neurological symptoms for me, panic attacks, tremors, POTs, etc.

I was reinfected last month, in January, on my birthday no less. I was positive for Covid for 17 days even after starting Paxlovid immediately. I then contracted a sinus infection towards the end and did 7 days of antibiotics, which were not immediately helpful.

I gave myself extensive rest for at least 4 weeks, and was acutely symptomatic for the majority of that time. After 4 weeks I started for feel less acutely sick and more chronically ill like I had been before.

I am about 6 weeks out now and I’ve had two major PEM crashes that really feel more like a Covid relapse than actual PEM. But I don’t hear anyone talking about relapse type experiences. PEM always feels like the flu for me, but these crashes are much worse, dropping or raising my body temperature and causing mild upper respiratory symptoms. I’m actually about to take a combo flu/covid test because I feel so bad. I haven’t left my house except to go to the doctor, but you never know.

In 2019 I had the swine flu, got better and then relapsed. The doctor agreed it was a relapse and that was apparently common.

So am I having horrible PEM or does Covid take weeks to months to really go away? Am I having little relapses because I haven’t really cleared the virus yet?

Any input would be helpful! I’m in no way new to this but I’m curious about other people’s experiences.