Covid 19 Coronavirus: “Long-distance carriers” talk about long-term effects of the virus

By Matthew Theunissen RNZ

As the world tackles the worst health crisis of the first century, a secondary pandemic is beginning to take hold. This can last for months, if not years, after Covid-19 was eradicated.

“Long-haul carriers,” as they call themselves, continue to suffer from the effects of the virus even after they have wiped it out of their systems.

They may experience one of the most common symptoms, a tremendous series of symptoms, malaise, “brain fog”, but severe shortness of breath, palpitation, chest pain, muscles and joints. I also experience terrible pain.

Many feel that their opinions are not being heard or supported, and some are told by their doctors that nothing is wrong.

Jenene Crossan was diagnosed with Covid-19 last March and spent four days in a traumatized hospital. Ten months later, she continues to suffer from the effects of the coronavirus.

“I found that my body was really starting to get inflamed and causing all sorts of internal problems. By July I had surgery,” she said.

“I found that I was growing very well-internally-a lot of cysts and stuff like that [which are] Inflammatory reaction. “

After the surgery, she went downhill quite badly.

“I’ve had the majority of what I can’t really do for the next six weeks.”

One of her worst symptoms was the debilitating “brain fog” commonly found in long-haul carriers.

“One day, when I woke up, I couldn’t connect the sentences, so I really thought it must be dementia,” she said.

“It went on over and over again for a long time. It was probably the most depressing one.

“Joint pain, such as arthritis, follows the path of ME and chronic fatigue. [syndrome] It seems, but it has other layers-my cough and my lung problems have been going on for a really long time. “

Perhaps even more troublesome for long-haul carriers is the lack of support they have available, and many find that their doctors refuse to believe in them.

“Most people are working on their own to connect ways to fix themselves,” says Crossan.

“They feel unsupported in the dark. Most of them don’t even tell doctors that they are suffering in silence now. Many people are in mental distress. I’m going downhill. “

Long haul carriers go it alone

Long-haul carriers began looking for each other online as official channels proved inadequate, and New Zealand’s Covid long-haul Facebook page is now considered the leading source and support for the country. I am.

Freya Sawbridge, who had symptoms the night he returned from Europe last March, started the page.

“I can sympathize ignorantly-it’s a new virus [and] I don’t think I’ll go to the hospital like I did when I had a particularly bad recurrence. “

“But I was shocked by the way I was fired and the arrogance that the doctor didn’t say anything wrong to me.

“It is not possible to know the suffering patient and the thousands of people around the world who are reporting the same symptoms. [that it’s] It’s all in your head-it’s just anxiety and you have no problems. “

The most serious symptom of Sawbridge was severe dizziness that lasted about five and a half months.

Contrary to what many would expect from a long Covid, she was 26 at the time and said she had only mild symptoms at the time of her first illness.

“I thought I’d recover in two weeks, but it did, and I was very well,” she said.

“Then, it recurred severely four days later. The first symptoms, such as chest pain, severe dizziness, headache, malaise, and numbness in various parts of the body, all returned rapidly and were significantly worse than in the first round.”

She continues to suffer from chest pain and palpitations, and her taste and smell have not yet recovered.

Clinicians should first say “Yeah, I can hear you”-Dr. Michael Maze

One of the few New Zealand researchers studying Covid for a long time is Dr. Michael Maze, a senior pulmonologist and senior lecturer in medicine at the University of Otago.

He and his team have tracked people in the Canterbury area who caught the virus during the first wave of the pandemic and evaluated their recovery.

Although research is still in its infancy, he said Covid is a real phenomenon and Covid-19 survivors are suffering all over the world.

“I’m sure there are a lot of people saying they haven’t recovered yet,” he said.

“The pattern seen overseas is the percentage of people (10, 20, 30%) who do not appear to have recovered after 3 or 6 months of illness, and I think the same pattern is seen. . In New Zealand.

“What we don’t know yet is the percentage that is really incapacitated, [those who are] Not so good, but definitely better.

“And how long will it really last? In a sense, it’s been six months long, but will it recover completely in a year? Well, it’s too early to know yet.”

For now, what clinicians can do is acknowledge that the plight of long-haul carriers is a reality.

“When I talk to some people who have these long symptoms, the first thing they say is,” I really had a hard time getting people to admit that I’m sick here, “he said. ..

“They feel that they have the perception that they should be better and aren’t taken seriously. As a clinician, I think the first thing you should probably do is just sit down and say. “I’m not getting better and I don’t have all the answers yet, but I’ll cut this down to see if I can support you.”

Many researchers, including the long Covid, are seeking government support to carry out Covid-19 research.

Anna Brooks, an immunologist who is a senior researcher at the University of Auckland, wants to investigate the long-term effects on the immune system.

I want you to study so that you can understand what is actually happening.

“Many of the people who got infected with Covid here and still have chronic symptoms got the virus in March, so it’s a long way from March 2020, but they’re still suffering and everyone I don’t know what to do, I’ll do it, “she said.

“There are many underlying things here. One of them is obviously a way to help them because they are suffering. Sadly, there is no short answer there. Nobody really really yet. I don’t know. In fact, it will be a study we can do. At least help get some answers.

“At the same time, another large gray area for these patients is that many of them were not identified as positive cases. Some are possible and some are probably you in March. You wouldn’t be allowed to test unless you had one. History of traveling to China.

“One of the things that all these long haul groups have in common internationally is that half of them have not been confirmed to be positive.”

Brooks said he needed to help scientists develop more specific tests that are currently only available in the laboratory. That way, they can convince people if they have been infected with the virus.

As New Zealanders return home, many are infected with Covid, but remember that there is no follow-up by health authorities here as they may not have been confirmed by tests. It is also important to keep it. ..

According to Brooks, New Zealand’s covid-free status puts it in a unique position to give researchers a better understanding of the long-term effects of the virus on the body, such as the duration of immunity.

Sawbridge has requested participation in the government.

“My main concern right now is that for a long time Covid is officially approved by the government so that people can stop thinking that youth and health provide ultimate protection against the virus. I want

“I didn’t expect to be in this position, but after a year it worked and I was very young and healthy.

“If they formally acknowledge the long Covid, they can stop the belief that only the old man will die. That is not the only result of a pandemic.

“I want recognition, and yeah, I want research. We want us to study so that we can understand what is really happening.”

According to a statement from the Ministry of Health, we are actively monitoring the long-term consequences of Covid-19 infection.

We are considering options for establishing a project to follow up on New Zealanders infected with the virus.

The ministry is also considering funding long-term Covid-related projects.