‘DEVASTATING’ LONG COVID NEEDS URGENT ATTENTION, SAYS WHO CHIEF

Thu 13 October 2022:

While most people who develop COVID-19 fully recover, it is estimated that 10–20% go on to develop what is now known as long COVID. This condition involves a variety of mid- and long-term symptoms such as fatigue, breathlessness and lack of mental focus.

While the science behind long COVID is still unclear, a new WHO/Europe factsheet collects existing evidence on the condition and its often-debilitating effect on people’s lives.

Long Covid, according to World Health Organization Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, is “devastating” the lives and livelihoods of tens of millions of people around the world. This includes wreaking havoc on the healthcare system and economies, as well as having an impact on the day-to-day lives of those suffering from the condition.

“Crushing fatigue. Brain fog making straightforward tasks almost impossible. Shortness of breath walking up the stairs,” are just some of many symptoms experienced by people living with long Covid (post-Covid-19 condition), said Tedros in a piece he wrote for the Guardian.

WHO first started recognising long Covid in mid-2020 after patient groups, researchers and clinicians that they work with found cases of prolonged Covid-19. The virus that first emerged in China in late 2019 and subsequently turned into a global pandemic killed at least 6.5 million people across the world and infected more than 600 million, said the report.

However, WHO estimates that 10% to 20% of survivors have been left with mid and long-term aforementioned symptoms of Covid-19. Additionally, women are nearly twice as likely as men to have contracted this condition, while “those hospitalised with severe Covid are more likely to develop the condition” said Tedros citing the data by WHO and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).

Since the data is mostly available from high-income countries, it does not portray a clear picture of how many people are actually suffering, said the WHO chief, however, they estimate that tens of millions of people, or perhaps more, have contracted long Covid. As of now, with no evidence of how to best treat the condition, many face “often lengthy” and “frustrating” waits for support or guidance, said Tedros.

This large number of people suffering also has dangerous implications for countries and economies still reeling from the multiple waves of Covid-19 cases, said the report. “While the pandemic has changed dramatically due to the introduction of many life saving tools, and there is light at the end of the tunnel, the impact of long Covid for all countries is very serious and needs immediate and sustained action equivalent to its scale,” said Tedros.

The WHO chief has urged leaders to “seriously ramp up support” to minimise the suffering of those who have long Covid. “This plan should encompass, providing immediate access to antivirals to patients at high risk of serious disease, investing in research and sharing new tools and knowledge as they’re identified to prevent, detect and treat patients more effectively. It also means supporting patients physical and mental health as well as providing financial support for those who are unable to work,” said Tedros in the piece he wrote.

Therefore, to drive this effort forward the WHO chief mapped out a plan with five “key elements”:

1. Tedros addresses the importance of listening to “patient groups, researchers and health workers dealing with this condition which we are still learning about”, said the WHO chief. He added that governments should use this “first-hand knowledge” and adjust policies accordingly to diagnose, support and treat people. On the other hand, it is critical for health professionals to assure and communicate how long and frustrating the road to recovery can be but people do get better, said Tedros.

2. The second element includes ensuring equitable access to tests, therapeutics and vaccines in order to avoid infection and reduce the severity of Covid, indicated the WHO chief. He highlights that while 70% of people have been vaccinated, only 22% of people in low-income countries have received the vaccination.

3. According to Tedros, there is also a need for systematic data collection on patients suffering from long Covid, since most of the data received by WHO is from high-income countries they are unaware of the impact on low and middle-income countries.

This gap in knowledge “undermines the overarching response and delays the scientific community from understanding the nature of long Covid and how best to treat it”, said the WHO chief urging countries to share their data with the organisation.

4. There is a large amount of research on long Covid for which Tedros has called for “sustained investment” which would help them expand their scientific understanding and develop better treatments and clinical management.

5. Lastly, he called for the integration of “multi-disciplinary care”, for people suffering from long Covid as they require a range of services, including “health and care workers with expertise in neurology, rehabilitation, psychology, speech therapy and respiratory therapy”, said the WHO chief. He reasoned that delayed clinical care can impact their quality of life as well as the length of time they suffer from the symptoms.

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