No national data or specific health units for ‘Long Covid’ exist, HSE confirms

There is no national data on how many Irish people are suffering with Long Covid-19, and no health units for treatment of Long Covid patients have been established, it has emerged.

A study on the long-term effects of Covid-19 by King’s College London last year showed one in 20 infected people in the UK were deemed to have symptoms for two months or longer.

Long Covid symptoms include: fatigue, prolonged loss of taste or smell, respiratory and cardiovascular issues, and mental health problems, among various other ailments.

While a HSE spokesperson said a national approach to Long Covid is “currently under consideration,” there are no specific health units or centres dealing with long Covid in Ireland.

Ths HSE also confirmed that there is “no national data at this time on how many Irish people experience prolonged symptoms, though there are some reports from individual centres.”

In response to the growing evidence on the long tail of Covid-19, Health Secretary Matt Hancock established more than 60 health centres specifically for long Covid across the UK.

Fine Gael spokesperson on Health TD Colm Burke believes that planning by the HSE for the impact of Long Covid is now “a matter of some urgency” and should include “a dedicated health unit on Long Covid within the HSE”.

“I understand that some hospitals have established post-Covid clinics to follow up with patients who need further care, but a network of clinics should be established to focus on research and treatment of the condition.

“If 5pc of patients suffer from Long Covid then the numbers suffering from the condition in Ireland may exceed 10,000 and as the number of infections continue to rise, so too will the number of those suffering from Long Covid.

“Some patients make a very slow recovery and for others a full recovery does not appear to be in sight. The symptoms of Long Covid may include chronic fatigue, joint pains, breathlessness, brain fog, lung damage, damage to other internal organs and disruption to the body’s regulatory systems.

“In particular, the HSE and private healthcare providers have a duty of care to healthcare workers who put their health and their lives on the line during the pandemic. During the past year more than 27,000 healthcare workers became infected with Covid. A full range of supports must now be put in place for healthcare workers suffering from Long Covid,” Deputy Burke said.

The HSE said specific guidance on what has been referred to as the “long-tail” is “presently under development in Ireland” and that people who have had Covid-19 are “being followed up by their doctors as appropriate”. People who have been discharged from hospital following Covid-19 are followed up as appropriate by their team, the HSE said.

“Longer-term observational studies will be required to understand the health consequences presently being attributed to post Covid-19 infection. The HSE has beenin touch with and will be engaging a group of people who are suffering post-Covid symptoms.

“Guidance is being developed to align needs with care provision and to develop criteria and strategies for the ongoing evaluation of patients”.

Online Editors