People affected by the COVID-19 virus have a good chance of mentioning the long-term COVID complications.
Dr Sana Mohammed, COVID-19 consultant at Couva Hospital and multi-training facility, said on Wednesday at the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 virtual update that it has become increasingly clear that for some patients, ongoing effects of Covid -19 virus.
Mohammed said Long COVID refers to the signs and symptoms that occur during or after COVID-19 infection, which persist for more than four weeks and are not explained by another medical condition.
She noted that the symptoms of Long COVID are very variable, and most are fatigue, deep fatigue and shortness of breath.
Among the symptoms associated with Long COVID are respiratory, dermatological, musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neurological, psychological / psychiatric, general, as well as ear, nose and throat symptoms.
‘Many patients give expression to the waning and waning nature of the disease, where you feel as if you have recovered one moment, but then it hits you back. One patient described it as a constant cycle of disappointment, not only for you but also for those around you who really want you to recover.
She said patients can sometimes feel isolated and that they are the only ones experiencing persistent symptoms after COVID-19 infection. But as they go along, they begin to realize that there are other patients who are experiencing the same symptoms.
Mohammed shared the data from a COVID-19 study that surveyed more than 4,000 patients in three different countries, but stressed that although the study has not yet been peer-reviewed, it does contain a large amount of data that a have shown few trends in relation to Long COVID, adding that as the data grows, they will be able to identify risk groups of patients.
According to the data presented, people who have more than any five symptoms in the week of onset increase their chances of developing Long COVID.
In addition, 13.3% of the sample population had symptoms lasting longer than 28 days, whereas 4.5% had symptoms for a period of eight weeks or longer, and 2.3% had symptoms lasting longer than 12 weeks.
Mohammed noted that although the elderly population was more at risk of developing Long COVID, with the age of over 70 representing 21.9% of the patients tested, there was a significant finding of 10% in the age group 18 -49.
And although women (14.9%) were more susceptible than men (9.5%), it did not apply to older age groups, as Long COVID affected all socioeconomic groups.
‘Asthma was the only condition associated with Long COVID, and individuals with a long COVID are more likely to need hospital examinations.
‘So what we need to note is that cases of long COVID can occur in young, previously good individuals who have not been admitted to hospital. The general perception that it is an elderly person’s disease is unrealistic, and young people can certainly experience COVID for longer, ” Mohammed said.
She said that apart from the numerous health consequences of Long COVID, there is also a psychological, social, financial and economic burden on some patients.
‘Some patients may not be able to work, and have great difficulty returning to work after COVID-19. Some of our patients struggle to return to their normal daily function after infection. ”
However, she noted that complications after infections with viruses are not new, referring to the neurological complications associated with Zika, as well as the long-term effects experienced by persons suffering from the Chikungunya virus.
‘The concept of long-term symptoms or complications of viral infections must therefore be widely accepted. And although COVID-19 is caused by coronavirus, which is another virus, it is important that we recognize the long-term health consequences of COVID-19 infection. ”
Mohammed said it was especially important for those who believe that if they contract COVID-19, they will simply recover and that their chances of dying are slim, especially for those who are young without medical conditions.
“And while this may be true, I want to emphasize that even in this group, it is possible to experience long-term COVID and long-term consequences for the COVID-19 infection.”
She said patients in the management of Long COVID benefit from a holistic approach in which education is key for patients and healthcare professionals caring for patients in terms of the services available for the assessment and management of this challenging group of patients.
Mohammed said two executive wellness centers, located at Arima General Hospital and Couva Hospital and a multi-training facility, were conceptualized in the awareness of the holistic approach to caring for patients infected with COVID-19, some of which have a long COVID.
‘These clinics are specialist clinics and use a multidisciplinary team approach that is the standard of care for the treatment of these patients.
“Given the multitude of symptoms of Long COVID and the long-term health consequences of COVID-19 infection, it is likely that large numbers of patients will experience COVID-19 complications. This will have a significant impact on our healthcare systems for the coming year.
‘It is therefore extremely important for us the population to follow all the guidelines for public health that are constantly advised by the Ministry of Health. The only way to prevent long COVID is to prevent COVID-19 infection, ”said Mohammed.