What do we know about "long COVID"?

 "Long covid" is a term that is being used to describe illness those who have either recovered from covid-19 but are still reporting effects of the infection, or those who have had the usual symptoms for a far longer period of time than would be expected. A lot of people, doctors included, have been infected and have shared their anecdotal experiences on social and other media platforms. Read feature article in the BMJ "Covid-19: What do we know about long covid"? 

Professor of Infectious Diseases, Paul Garner who works at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, talked about his "frighteningly long" seven week experience with the virus for BMJ Opinion describing a "roller coaster of ill health, extreme emotions, and utter exhaustion". His long list of symptoms lasted for weeks and left him feeling like he was unable to function.

In the UK the Royal College of Practitioners expects GPs to see and influx of patients with "Long COVID" and has called for a rapid review for GPs to enable a streamlined approach to treatment as the approach introduced during the pandemic. A great deal of pressure is going to weigh on GPs as a direct result of covid-19.

Read evidence from a team of Italian researchers published in JAMA who reported that nine in ten patients discharged from a Rome hospital after recovery were still experiencing at least one symptom at sixty days post onset of the virus.

Currently the media is focused on two possibilities with COVID-19 either you get very sick requiring hospitalisation or you get a very mild case that is barely a sniffle. "You'll be right" just go home and isolate. The possibilities for a more chronic long term illness is not being brought to the attention of the public as it should be. Those who are considering not taking up the vaccine, thinking that because most of the population will be vaccinated, they might be protected. I think these people need to think again. 

Another article in the Pharmaceutical Journal tells the story in-depth of one patient who could not function even six months later. "Thousands of people who had been thought to have recovered are now reporting persistent or severe symptoms. Read the NSW government COVID-19 Critical Intelligence Unit's evidence check here.

Any escape of the virus to non-vaccinated members of the Australian population could have serious implications for the long term health of the people involved as well as Health System in Australia.