Long Covid GP consultations 'cost £23m'

Long Covid costs the UK at least an extra £23m in GP and other primary care consultations each year, according to estimates in a new study.

The University of Birmingham said extra appointments cost between £23m and £60m a year.

The study examined more than 950,000 electronic healthcare records since the start of the global pandemic.

People with Long Covid report symptoms including persistent coughs and brain fog. The condition is defined as having symptoms three months after the initial infection, which last for two months or more.

Factors found to increase primary care costs included being older, female, white, obese or someone with long-term health conditions.

Co-lead author Dr Shamil Haroon, from the university, said: "We might expect that patients who are older or who have long-term health conditions will need additional primary care support, but we have also seen additional costs associated with being white and female."

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Source: BBC, 11 January 2024