It is one thing to get infected with COVID-19, but after that, many people still have to deal with the consequences of the disease. Scientists are increasingly talking about “long COVID-19”. Researchers from Germany predict that it will affect millions of patients and will be another “health disaster”.
- Some people experience a extended, debilitating syndrome known as “long COVID” after contracting COVID-19
- A new study suggests millions of people will be affected by the next “health disaster”
- There is no exact data yet, but researchers estimate that in the United States alone, there could be 15 million cases of “long COVID” resulting from this pandemic
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Unfortunately, many people struggle with the long-term effects of COVID-19. Before the “long COVID-19”, American scientists already warned in the fall: “it can make you disabled for months, if not years.” Everything indicates that there will be more and more such people – says the German health insurance company Barmer.
- Read also: 12 symptoms of “COVID long tail”. Check if you have them and what to do next
«Long COVID-19» a serious challenge
In the period from November 2020 to March 2021, the German health insurance fund recorded about 2,9 thousand. patients who have suffered from the long-term effects of coronavirus infection.
But these figures may not reflect the magnitude of the problem. Barmer’s Medical Director Ursula Marschall believes that many people do not recognize the symptoms and do not even know that they are suffering from “long COVID”. It is not easy to distinguish an acute viral infection from its long-term sequelae. In addition, the postcovid team was entered into the doctors’ billing system in Germany only in January this year.
“I expect we will see significant growth in the coming months,” said Susanne Weinbrenner from the Prevention of German Pension Insurance. The most common symptoms for which patients are treated after having COVID-19 include:
- exercise shortness of breath,
- limited strength,
- muscle weakness
- anxiety disorders,
- depression,
- chronic kidney disease
- pain in the chest.
According to the Barmer health insurance fund, the postcovid syndrome is dependent on age and gender. It occurs more often in women than in men. Additionally, in women over 60 years of age, after a mild course of the disease, it occurs about six times more often than in men under 40 years of age.
- Read also: Scientists are increasingly afraid of the so-called long covid
This is confirmed by new research by American scientists. The scientific journal “New England Journal of Medicine” published on Wednesday an article entitled “Facing our next national health disaster – long-haul COVID.” There, scientists predict that “long COVID is likely to cast a shadow over our health care system and economic recovery.” The researchers admit that no one knows what the course of “long COVID” will be, or what percentage of patients will recover or have long-term symptoms. – It’s a frustratingly embarrassing state. But given the enigmatic history of the “new” post-infection syndromes, the emergence of the “long COVID” should not be surprising, the article highlights.
Most patients who have had a mild history of the coronavirus recover in about three months.
Have you been infected with COVID-19 and are worried about the side effects? Check your health by performing a comprehensive test package for convalescents.
See also:
- Coronavirus. The fourth wave is inevitable?
- Niedzielski: a guarantee that vaccination against COVID-19 will be free of charge until the end of September
- Cerebral fog after COVID-19 – what is it and how to deal with it? [WE EXPLAIN]
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