A year has passed by and COVID-19 continues to disrupt our lives in many ways. While we have overcome some of the most difficult tides, long COVID has become a source of major concern in recent times. Besides impacting our health, it has taken a heavy toll on our mental well being, which hinders our day to day functions in many ways.
Long COVID refers to the symptoms faced by the people even after they have recovered from the disease and tested negative for the same.
According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), long COVID lasts for more than 12 weeks, although some other people consider symptoms that last more than eight weeks to be long COVID.
That said, long haulers are people who, due to COVID-19, either experience some permanent damage to their lungs, heart, kidneys, or brain or continue to experience weakening symptoms despite no detectable damage to these organs.
According to a new study published in the journal Nature Medicine, a group of researchers, including those from Columbia University in the US, found that most long COVID patients experience severe medical conditions such as chest pain, strokes and blood clot-related complications in their lungs.
Elaine Y. Wan, one of the co-authors of the study, claims that patients have reported these symptoms even weeks and months after testing positive for the infection, with sudden onset of heart palpitations, and prolonged fatigue.
“When we think of COVID-19, we think of mostly a respiratory illness. But even after they’ve recovered from their respiratory illness, they may still have other clinical symptoms due to issues with other organ systems,” Wan added.
“There really is a post-COVID syndrome and it doesn’t always correlate with the severity of the acute COVID infection itself,” added Ani Nalbandian, another co-author of the study from Columbia University.
As per the study, long haulers have also complained of chest discomfort along with an inability to concentrate and difficulty in decision-making and remembering things.
Depending on the analysis of the study, experts believe that post-COVID syndrome must be taken seriously and that patients should be taken care of long after they have recovered from COVID-19.
According to Wan, “All of us recognized that there needs to be interdisciplinary care to treat patients longitudinally.”
The researchers believe that there’s a need for dedicated COVID clinics to take care of people suffering with COVID and it’s implications.
“Clinics could prioritize follow-up care for those at high risk for post-acute COVID-19 and those with the highest burden of persistent symptoms,” Nalbandian said.
In case you’re experiencing lingering implications of COVID-19 weeks and months after recovery, it is crucial that you address your concerns to your doctor.
Ani Nalbandian suggests, “Get in touch with your doctors even if you’re not sure if your symptoms are lingering from your COVID infection.”
