To the vaccinated, it may feel like the COVID-19 pandemic is finally over, but a convergence of the Delta variant, rising long COVID cases, a higher number of breakthrough cases, and pressure to relax pandemic measures is starting to blunt this perspective
Medical Xpress explores these occurrences in a recent article. Authorities will have to consider the cost of long COVID as it attempts to ease pandemic restrictions.
The words describing long COVID, such as rising and increasing, have been replaced with the word “tsunami.”
About Long COVID
After an acute case of COVID, some patients continue to experience muscle weakness, brain fog, or extreme fatigue among other post COVID symptoms. The disorder also affects major organs such as the lungs and heart. The emphasis then becomes focusing on the quality of life rather than the need to urgently save lives.
The UK numbers are staggering. Two million patients have developed long COVID. Of that number, 385,000 patients have struggled with long COVID for over a year.
UK’s July 19th Freedom Day added to the grim statistics. Despite the government’s messages to use caution, infections rose mostly among unvaccinated and younger people. An estimated 500,000 new cases of long COVID have been predicted.
Current data suggest that long COVID numbers surpass those of COVID deaths. The indication is that economic costs related to long COVID in the UK are approximately half the costs of COVID deaths.
Younger people may be affected in disproportionate numbers and carry the burden of the pandemic’s long-term costs.
Compared to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
Long COVID is often compared to chronic fatigue syndrome (myalgic encephalomyelitis) also a post-viral disorder characterized by severe debilitation and fatigue for years or even decades.
Richard Meade, author of the source article, describes his own eleven-year experience with ME, from which he recovered in 2004. His illness began in 1993 with a flu-like disorder. He had many symptoms which defied treatment. Meade reminds us that his illness carried personal, professional, and social costs.
Added to these burdens was the continuous flow of doctors who did not believe he was ill or worse knew that he was ill but had no solution.
Conclusion
Meade cautions physicians who are attempting to ease COVID restrictions to take long COVID seriously and include it as a critical part of the equation.
