Long COVID - what is it?

[Jm954]

I have a friend who contracted COVID. They happen to be a consultant in infection control and microbiology and have been working on the front line for many months so perhaps it was inevitable they would contract it at some point despite the precautions and PPE.

Like many they had a flu like illness with a high temperature and cough but didn't need to be hospitalised. However, months later they are still unwell with awful fatigue and generally feeling unwell. Further tests have revealed damage to the lungs and cardiovascular issues, understandably they and their family are devastated.

A relatively large study of 384 individuals ill enough to be admitted to hospital with COVID-19 showed that 53% remained breathless at a follow-up assessment one to two months later, with 34% having a cough and 69% reporting fatigue. Indeed, early analysis of self-reported data submitted through the COVID Symptom Study app suggests that 13% of people who experience COVID-19 symptoms have them for more than 28 days, while 4% have symptoms after more than 56 days. Older age and being female also appear to be risk factors for having prolonged symptoms, as is having a higher body mass index.

A UK study (as yet unreported and not yet peer reviewed) of 201 people with COVID-19 showed only 18% of individuals had been hospitalised with COVID-19 but fatigue (98%), muscle aches (88%), breathlessness (87%), and headaches (83%) were the most frequently reported symptoms. Ongoing cardiorespiratory (92%) and gastrointestinal (73%) symptoms were common, and 42% of individuals had ten or more symptoms. medrxiv.org/content/10.1101...

There was evidence of mild organ impairment in heart (32%), lungs (33%), kidneys (12%), liver (10%), pancreas (17%), and spleen (6%). Single (66%) and multi-organ (25%) impairment was observed, and was significantly associated with risk of prior COVID-19 hospitalisation (p<0.05).

Their interpretation was that in a young, low-risk population with ongoing symptoms, almost 70% of individuals have impairment in one or more organs four months after initial symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This has implications not only for individuals but also. public health approaches which have assumed low risk in young people with no comorbidities. Currently post COVID-19 assessment services are operating in many hospitals in the UK and a Long COVID Taskforce has been set up to look into it.

More reading here: thelancet.com/journals/lanc...

thelancet.com/journals/ebio...

We need to do all we can to stay safe and avoid infection with COVID-19.

Take care

Jackie

[mrsjsmith]

Jackie

I am so sorry to hear about your friend. I hope they make a full recovery.

Colette x

[Stretch1]

Thank you for the in depth information - I had no idea that such a great percentage of people would experience organ involvement other than the lungs and heart - very sorry for your friend

[Beattiem-UK]

Thank you for sharing all that information so clearly Jackie. My own ex-GP, now retired, told me that he and his wife had shielded, not because they were clinically vulnerable but because they had friends who were still practising medics in London who had expressed concern about organ damage to Covid sufferers on follow-up.

My concern is that there are still people around who somehow think that it is one big conspiracy theory and that lockdowns are depriving them of their civil liberties....

I hope that your friend slowly recovers. My son was diagnosed just before Christmas. He's fit and strong and does all the right things but he still managed to get Covid, as he might. It's a virus. It's what viruses do.

Stay safe and well everyone.

Beattie

[shazie in reply to Beattiem-UK]

There is a big rally in DC tomorrow. If you watch the news you would be shocked as how these people are behaving. Tomorrow more than 10,000 people expected to rally and majority of them with no mask and zero social distancing.Are these people from other planets? Other countries must be laughing at us.

[Phil4-13]

Emotional time right now and there are a lot of rash actions by many. Just like the holidays, an emotional time. We have something anchoring us.

A learned compassion for others we don’t know and extended kindnesses to others who we see will benefit from those actions.

😍 Sandra

[Fran57]

I sincerely hope your friend, and everyone in the same situation, recovers well and soon. It’s not just a matter of surviving the initial illness, it’s the devastation it can often cause afterwards. Thank you for highlighting this to everyone.Stay safe, Fran 😉

[NooNoo14]

So sorry to hear about your friend Jackie. Why is this information not more widely advertised in the media? Maybe it would frighten some of the idiots flouting the rules to pay attention, although I suspect the majority wouldn’t.

Take care

Netty

[Jm954 Administrator in reply to NooNoo14]

I think it's beginning to become known to the general public but only recently.

[Ernest2]

Many thanks for sharing that Jackie. Just thinking - wonder if you friend might be interested if they feel able in starting a long COVID group on HU.

Best wishes,

Ernest

[Jm954 Administrator in reply to Ernest2]

I can ask but I'm not sure they would. Let's see ....

[studebaker]

Sorry about your friend Jackie. My friend’s brother who was working with COVID patients in France has been infected and his symptoms were not bad enough to be admitted, but for 9 months afterwards he was suffering with shortness of breath, horrible cough and malaise.

He is just now starting to feel better and he said that, his long COVID symptoms and experience was scary and exhausting. We never know how this horrible virus 🦠 will affect us.

I wish they would speed up the vaccination in 🇨🇦

Dana