A concerning 33.6% of health workers in England are showing signs ‘consistent with’ Long Covid, according to new research from King’s College London. The extensive 32-month study, which surveyed over 5,000 medical professionals, aimed to identify whether certain individuals are more prone to developing the condition.
Their stark findings suggest that direct contact with Covid patients is a significant risk factor for Long Covid symptoms among healthcare workers. Women, those aged between 51 and 60, and individuals with pre-existing respiratory or mental health conditions face an increased threat too.
The university has raised concerns that only 7.4% of those surveyed have been formally diagnosed with Long Covid, indicating that numerous cases may be going unnoticed. According to The Express, Dr Danielle Lamb explained: “Covid-19 has not gone away.
“We know that more infections mean more people are at risk of developing Long Covid. This research shows that we should be particularly concerned about the impacts of this on the health and social care sector, especially in older and female workers, and staff with pre-existing physical and mental health conditions.
“We now need to better understand the complex interplay between biomedical, psychological, and social factors that affect people’s experiences of Long Covid, and how healthcare workers with this condition can best be supported.”
While most people recover from Covid within a few days, there are many who continue to experience symptoms for an extended period. This condition is known as Long Covid or post-Covid syndrome (PCS), according to the NHS, and it’s an area that’s constantly under research.
Key symptoms include extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, brain fog, and heart palpitations. However, some people also report persistent loss of smell, chest pain, depression, tinnitus, and even pins and needles.
The team at King’s College is now urging for ‘urgent improvements in diagnostic practices and access to support for those living with Long Covid in the healthcare sector’. Their findings come after a period of intense pressure on the NHS during the peak of the pandemic.
At the height of the pandemic in April 2020, a survey revealed that doctors treating patients in high-risk Covid settings often struggled to access adequate personal protective equipment, according to The Mirror. The Royal College of Physicians reported 37% of those most at risk could not always access full-face visors while 31% could not find long-sleeved disposable gowns.
In light of the findings, Dr Sharon Stevelink, also among the study’s authors, said: “PCS can have a dramatic impact on a person’s day to day life. If we are to ensure that the healthcare workers, and wider population, affected by it receive the best possible care and support, we need to address both the physiological and psychosocial mechanisms behind it.”