One in three patients who recover from coronavirus could be harmed for life, with long-term damage to their lungs, as well as chronic fatigue and psychological disturbances, research suggests, Report says citing The Telegraph.
Experts said there was growing evidence that the virus could cause persistent or even permanent trauma, including impairment to the brain and an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
NHS guidance seen by The Telegraph suggests that around 30 percent of patients who recover from Covid-19 may be left with damaged and scarred lung tissue if it follows patterns of similar diseases.
In an interview with The Telegraph, the head of the new NHS center for COVID recovery said she was worried about how little was known about just how long the consequences may last.
Dr. Hilary Floyd, clinical director at the NHS Seacole Centre, said she had been shocked by how young many of its patients were, with healthy people who were in their 40s and 50s when the virus struck now facing long-term fatigue and disability.
In many cases, the fatigue and breathlessness are so severe that patients can only do short bursts of 10 minutes of supervised activity at a time, Dr. Floyd said.
Many patients are also struggling to cope with the psychological impact of the changes to their health, with therapists on-site, she said, “There is a lot of anxiety.”
The guidance issued by NHS England to primary care and community services, involving GPs and other providers of care outside hospitals, suggests that almost one in three people who suffer from Covid could suffer long-term damage, if it follows patterns seen by similar viruses.