- 20% of the Covid survivors are experiencing major mid or long-term symptoms.
- Women are seemingly more in danger of long covid effects than men.
- WHO suggests new strategies that can be adopted by governments to present these symptoms.
“The world has never been in a better position to end the Covid-19 pandemic, but it is very clear that many of those infected by the virus, which first appeared in China in late 2019, are still experiencing from prolonged suffering,” according to WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Long term symptoms
Covid killed nearly 6.5 million people and infected over 600 million more. According to the WHO, 10% to 20% of survivors still experience fatigue, breathlessness, and cognitive dysfunction as mid- and long-term symptoms. Women are more likely to suffer from the condition.
Waves of infection
“With the absence of evidence about how best to treat it, long Covid is turning people’s lives upside down, and many face often lengthy and frustrating waits for support or guidance.”
“The large numbers of those cruelly affected by the long tail of Covid are also having a dangerous impact on health systems and economies still reeling from waves of infections,” said Tedros
Immediate sustained action
“While the pandemic has changed dramatically due to the introduction of many lifesaving tools, and there is light at the end of the tunnel, the impact of long Covid for all countries is very serious and needs immediate and sustained action equivalent to its scale.”
Minimised suffering
“To minimise the suffering of their populations and safeguard their healthcare systems and workforces, nations must now seriously ramp up both research into the condition and access to care for those affected.” Tedros said in an interview.
Planned strategy
“Early in the pandemic, it was critical for overburdened health systems to focus all of their efforts on Covid-19 patients who were exhibiting acute infection. However, governments must make long-term investments in their health system and personnel as well as create a strategy for addressing chronic conditions “ He said.
Mental well-being
“This strategy should include investing in research, sharing new tools and knowledge as they become available, and giving immediate access to antivirals to patients at high risk of developing serious illnesses.”
“Additionally, it entails assisting patients with their physical and mental well-being and assisting those who are unable to work financially.” said the UN chief.
International emergency
“Since the WHO declared an international emergency in 2020, the spread of vaccines and treatments for the virus has helped to reduce the number of deaths and hospitalizations.
Long Covid, on the other hand, is preventing a large number of people from “living their fullest lives.”
“This, in turn, creates a new problem for countries still recovering from the pandemic and, in some cases, dealing with high levels of infection,” according to Tedros.
Stark research
Stark research published this month suggests that as many as 17 million people in Europe alone may have experienced long Covid symptoms during the first two years of the pandemic.
Women in danger
“Women are twice as likely as men to have long Covid, and the risk increases dramatically with severe infections that require hospitalisation. Long Covid is likely to occur in one in three women and one in five men,” according to the report.
Medical services backlog
“It’s added a significant burden to health workers and the overall health system, which is still dealing with additional waves of Covid-19 infection and the resulting backlog of essential medical services that have been severely disrupted,” Tedros said.
Economic hit
“The world has already lost a significant number of workers due to illness, death, fatigue, and unplanned retirement due to an increase in long-term disability, which not only impacts the health system but also the overall economy.”
Key elements
“Five key elements required to propel efforts to address long Covid. In order to better understand the condition, nations must listen to patients, use their firsthand experience to shape long-term policies, and gather better data. Information sharing between countries must be improved in order to quickly close global knowledge gaps,” Tedros said.
Multi-disciplinary care
Tedros Suggested “Equitable access to long-term Covid tests, treatments, and vaccines to reduce the risk of infections and long-term Covid, sustained investment in long-term Covid scientific research, and quick multi-disciplinary care for long-term Covid patients.”
“Delayed clinical care affects both the duration of symptoms and the quality of life in COVID patients.”
Post-covid syndrome
“I am very concerned about long covid and would suggest a more collaborative research approad. I think there will be people who are affected life-long, but how common that will be is difficult to say at the moment. It’s too soon to tell. However, there are clearly some horrifying stories of people whose lives have been ruined by post-Covid syndrome.”
“Many of my colleagues in healthcare, who were previously energetic clinicians, are now unable to work due to long Covid. Fortunately, most of us improve. But I believe it is clear that some people are simply devastated by it,” said Prof Peter Openshaw, a UK government adviser and vice-chair of the government’s new and emerging respiratory virus threats advisory group (Nervtag).
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Source: The Guardian
