Nearly two years into the pandemic, people like me are still out of action. We need better support and more funding, writes Joanna Herman, consultant in infectious diseases in London.
Joanna caught Covid in March 2020, and was by definition a “mild” case: not admitted to hospital and no risk factors for severe disease, but how it has affected her and her family is anything but mild. Having been fit and active, Joanna now finds that on bad days that she still struggle with everyday chores, and her usually quick-firing brain "remains in slo-mo ('brain fog')".
For many months, it has felt as though long Covid has not been on the political agenda, but many people are still struggling with their everyday lives, and struggling to get the help they need. Why is long Covid not included in the daily statistics, or as one of the main incentives to avoid Omicron, and to get a vaccine and booster jab? It’s never mentioned, and it often feels as if sufferers don’t exist.
Even if the new variant results in milder disease than previous ones, could more people still end up like Joanna? And how will an already stretched NHS cope if there are new cases of long Covid after this current viral surge? There’s a lot we still don’t know about Omicron; a fuller picture will become evident over the coming weeks and months...
Source: The Guardian, 22 December 2021
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