Long-term effects of Covid-19 |13 February 2021

Covid-19 affects different people in different ways. Most infected people will develop mild to moderate illness and recover without hospitalisation. However, in more serious cases, the pandemic can lead to permanent damage or even death.

Since the overall Covid-19 recovery rate is between 97% and 99.75%, most patients are able to recover after a few days of treatment and go back home to their families and loved ones. However, recovery from the pandemic does not guarantee safety from other health problems.

Some patients can have symptoms that can last for weeks or even months after recovery from the pandemic. Even people who are not hospitalised and who have mild illness can experience persistent or late symptoms.

The most commonly reported long-term symptoms include: fatigue, shortness of breath, cough, joint pain, and chest pain.

Other reported long-term symptoms include: difficulty with thinking and concentration, depression, muscle pain, headache, intermittent fever, and a fast-beating or pounding heart (also known as heart palpitations).

More serious long-term complications appear to be less common but have been reported. These have been noted to affect different organ systems in the body. These include:

Cardiovascular: inflammation of the heart muscle

Respiratory: lung function abnormalities

Renal: acute kidney injury

Dermatologic: rash, hair loss

Neurological: smell and taste problems, sleep issues, difficulty with concentration, memory problems

Psychiatric: depression, anxiety, changes in mood.

Although the chances of inheriting these negative long-term effects are quite low, at a rate of approximately 10-15%, and the rate of inheriting a critical illness is 5%. The probability of gaining permanent damage to the bodies is still there. And thus caution is advised.

Older people and people with many serious medical conditions are the most likely to experience lingering Covid-19 symptoms, but even young, otherwise healthy people can feel unwell for weeks to months after infection.

The best way to protect yourself from any of these effects, would be to protect yourself from the virus in the first place!

Frequent hand washing, wearing a mask, social distancing, and reporting early symptoms could make large and significant differences when it comes to protecting yourself from the virus.

Stay home, stay safe!

Joshua Marie