Long Covid is concern in present scenario: Expert
Jalandhar, April 17 (UNI) Dr Naresh Purohit, Advisor-National Communicable Disease Control Programme, said long COVID symptoms is a concern in the present scenario.
Dr Purohit said, there is no definitive number of long-Covid patients officially. But according to World Health Organisation, current evidence suggests approximately 10-20 per cent of people experience a variety of mid and long-term effects after they recover from the initial infection. It is usually seen three months from the onset of Covid infection and lasts for at least two months.
While virtually addressing a Continuing Medical Education Programme (CME) on Post- Covid Conditions organised by the Pathankot based Chintpurni Medical College, Noted Epidemiologist stated that though COVID-19 affects all age groups, typically, most people have mild illness, some moderate, while a small percentage are critically ill.
He informed UNI on phone after addressing the CME programme on Sunday that fatigue, dyspnea (shortness of breath), joint pains, persistent cough and chest pain are some of the common symptoms of long COVID (a term that basically means persistence of symptoms even after recovery). Pandemic Control expert said some people might suffer from extensive lung damage, stroke or myocardial damage, and need long-term rehabilitation.
According to Dr Purohit the age group of 25 to 50 years has been hit hardest by long Covid. “The lungs of those who were on ventilator assistance during the Covid waves are now showing permanent damage. Long Covid also has an impact on the neurological system, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, and neuromuscular and musculoskeletal systems,” he said.
He averred that progressive dyspnea, a condition characterised by breathlessness, is one of the most typical symptoms of long Covid. Principal Investigator for National Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme Dr Purohit pointed that Iong covid can also damage many other organs, including the heart, kidneys and the brain. Organ damage may lead to health complications that linger after COVID-19 illness. In some people, lasting health effects may include long-term breathing problems, heart complications, chronic kidney impairment, stroke and Guillain-Barre syndrome — a condition that causes temporary paralysis. He said some adults and children experience multisystem inflammatory syndrome after they have had COVID-19. In this condition, some organs and tissues become severely inflamed.
Given the recent spurt in Covid cases reported in some states of North India, experts in the CME stressed the importance of forming post-Covid clinics in hospitals because many patients may require multi-speciality treatment. Experts said the clinic should include cardiologists, neurologists, pulmonologists and ENT specialists, among others. “There is no specific treatment for long Covid. Supportive and symptomatic treatment in the form of painkillers or multi-vitamins, rehabilitation therapy, yoga, physical therapy are some of the things that we try and many have been successful,” they added.
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