• UK
  • World
    • USA
  • Entertainment
    • Celeb
    • Showbiz
    • Magazine
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Gaming
  • Tech
  • Science
    • Education
  • Insurance
  • Business
  • Auto
  • ToS/Contact
    • ToS
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
NewsExplored
  • UK
  • World
    • USA
  • Entertainment
    • Celeb
    • Showbiz
    • Magazine
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Gaming
  • Tech
  • Science
    • Education
  • Insurance
  • Business
  • Auto
  • ToS/Contact
    • ToS
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • LinkedIn

  • Tumblr

  • RSS

UK

Long Covid: Virus ‘like Russian roulette’ for young and healthy

Long Covid: Virus ‘like Russian roulette’ for young and healthy
Newsexplored
12th January 2021
5
SHARES
ShareTweet
SubscribeRedditGoogleWhatsappStumbleuponPinterestDiggLinkedinTumblrTelegram
Views:
2

By Rachel Schraer
Health reporter

young woman lying down with hand on her head

image copyrightGetty Images

The risks of long Covid mean catching the virus is like “playing Russian Roulette” for the young and healthy, a leading immunologist has said.

A panel of health workers suffering with the long-term effects of the virus described pain, fatigue and debilitating nerve damage.

They warned against a “black and white” view of Covid as an illness that was either mild or deadly.

An estimated 5-10% of patients remain ill two months after being infected.

It’s true that, for the majority of people, Covid is relatively short and mild. But a sizeable minority are left with symptoms from the annoying to the debilitating.

“Long Covid” is the term loosely used to describe an array of symptoms experienced by people after their initial coronavirus infection.

These range from breathlessness, fatigue and loss of taste or smell to organ damage.

Some have developed chronic diarrhoea, diabetes or blood clots.

data-ad-format="auto">

There is even some early evidence of Covid infection causing changes to the brain’s structure.

  • ‘Long Covid’ impact estimated

  • ‘Long Covid’: Why are some people not recovering?

Dr Nathalie MacDermott, a paediatric doctor who believes she was exposed to Covid by a colleague, has been left with nerve pain that makes it difficult for her to walk – and suspected damage to her spinal cord.

She called for “awareness from some of the younger public who think they are invincible”.

Dr MacDermott was giving evidence to a group of cross-party MPs alongside other health professionals with long Covid.


“I’m 38 and wonder if I will ever be able to walk properly again without crutches or will I need a wheelchair,” she said.

“Yes you may not die but you might have long term problems.”

How many people have long Covid?

The true number is not known.

Dr Nisreen Alwan, a public health doctor and professor from Southampton with long Covid said the potential number of people affected was “staggering”.

She suggested if 10% of Covid sufferers developed long-term symptoms then there could be 40,000 new cases from the past week alone.

The Office for National Statistics published experimental statistics looking at how many people might be affected, but drop-outs from the survey meant the stats body couldn’t put a firm figure on it.

Early experimental data put it at one in 10, however, while the ZOE Symptom App study estimated about one in 20 had symptoms after eight weeks, falling to one in 50 after three months.

Death not the only bad outcome

“We talk about deaths as the only bad outcome,” Dr Alwan said.

But she suggested “previously healthy people” could be left with disabilities that affected their ability to work and care for their families.

“We do not have a system to record this or measure the burden,” she said.

Dr Alwan suggested a patient register of long Covid could be arrived at by following up and measuring who recovered – perhaps using text messages from their GPs.

A common refrain from the panel was how little was known about long Covid – its biological mechanisms and how many people suffered from it.

Many said they had found support in online communities on Facebook.

Prof Danny Altmann, an immunologist at Imperial College London, said it was a “chapter of the medical textbooks that hasn’t yet been written and it needs to be”.

“It’s a real kind of Russian roulette,” he said.

Even if you are “low risk and might not die… you do not know if you will be better in a few weeks or one of the ones on crutches or in a wheelchair”.

Related Topics

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Share on Skype (Opens in new window)

Related

Related Itemscovidhealthyrouletterussianvirusyoung
Click to add a comment

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

UK
12th January 2021
Newsexplored @newsexploredweb

Related Itemscovidhealthyrouletterussianvirusyoung

More in UK

  • Read More
    Covid-19: Is Northern Ireland winning the battle against the virus?

    Views:2 By Eunan McConvilleBBC News NI image copyrightGetty Images The coronavirus pandemic has brought with it an...

    Newsexplored 12th January 2021
  • Read More
    The Papers: ‘Fortress Britain’ and ‘modern miracle workers’

    Views:2 By BBC NewsStaff image captionA decision to close all travel corridors to the UK from Monday...

    Newsexplored 12th January 2021
  • Read More
    Covid: Will mass community testing be offered across Wales?

    Views:2 image copyrightGetty Images image captionHundreds queued around the leisure centre in Merthyr Tydfil to get tested...

    Newsexplored 12th January 2021
  • Read More
    Belfast Multi-Cultural Association fire ‘was deliberate hate crime’

    Views:2 media captionThe Belfast Multi-Cultural Association was working to serve the community, says Muhammed Atif Police have...

    Newsexplored 12th January 2021
  • Read More
    How did debut artist Olivia Rodgrigo break chart records?

    Views:2 By Mark SavageBBC music reporter image copyrightOlivia Rodrigo / Instagram image captionThe newcomer’s single overtook Ed...

    Newsexplored 12th January 2021
  • Read More
    Wales bringing in new safety rules for shops

    Views:2 media captionCovid lockdown: Are supermarkets following the rules? New laws for shoppers and staff are to...

    Newsexplored 12th January 2021
  • Read More
    Wayne Rooney: Derby County confirm ex-England captain as manager

    Views:2 Wayne Rooney officially joined Derby in a player-coach role in January 2020 Championship side Derby County...

    Newsexplored 12th January 2021
  • Read More
    In pictures: Winter scenes from around the UK

    Views:2 As temperatures drop in parts of the UK, we look at some of the most striking...

    Newsexplored 12th January 2021
  • Read More
    Newspaper headlines: Infection rate ‘hope’ – but care home cases rise

    Views:2 By BBC NewsStaff image captionThe Daily Mail carries a note of optimism on its front page,...

    Newsexplored 12th January 2021
  • Read More
    Covid in Scotland: Parents’ verdicts on week one of home-schooling

    Views:2 By Debbie JacksonBBC Scotland Published 7 minutes ago Related Topics image copyrightDonna Bruce image captionQuinn and...

    Newsexplored 12th January 2021
  • Read More
    Covid-19: Surge leaves key hospital services ‘in crisis’

    Views:2 By Nick TriggleHealth correspondent image copyrightGetty Images The surge in Covid hospital cases has left key...

    Newsexplored 12th January 2021
  • Read More
    Australian Open: Andy Murray tests positive for coronavirus

    Views:2 Andy Murray last played at the Australian Open in 2019 – which he thought might have...

    Newsexplored 12th January 2021
Scroll for more
Tap
data-ad-format="auto">
NewsExplored

NewsExplored - Making sure all the latest news is explored?

Contact us for help

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • Comments

  • Trump pardons two convicted by Russia investigation
    USA23rd December 2020
  • New coronavirus variant: What do we know?
    UK20th December 2020
  • Kieran Trippier suspended for 10 weeks over breaches of betting rules
    Sports23rd December 2020
  • The Papers: UK and EU on ‘verge’ of Brexit trade deal
    UK23rd December 2020
  • Joe Biden unveils $1.9tn US economic relief package
    USA15th January 2021
  • How much can Joe Biden get done on the US economy?
    USA14th January 2021
  • Could Liz Cheney spark a revolt?
    USA13th January 2021
  • Trump National stripped of 2022 US PGA Championship
    USA11th January 2021
  • Les Rehrer says:

    Hello Its me :P and thanks for this post

  • optumrx login says:

    Thank For News.

  • Kent Laatsch says:

    Please let me know if you're looking for a writer…

  • Bob says:

    RT News was where I learned that Erdogan controlled isis.…

Copyright © 2018 Top News Theme. Theme by MVP Themes, powered by Wordpress.

In pictures: Aurora Borealis lights up sky above Scotland
Covid in Wales: Online education ‘patchy and inconsistent’
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok