WHO cautions against 'long COVID', says 'don't let it fall through the cracks'

The World Health Organization (WHO) on February 9 not only noted that the research into COVID-19 is ‘still not enough’ but also said, “Long Covid should not fall through the cracks”. The United Nations (UN) health agency held the first planned series of seminars that are aimed at expanding the understanding of post-Covid conditions including scientists, doctors, sufferers themselves and WHO chief as speakers. The WHO also called for recognition and rehabilitation for Long Covid as it convenes experts to share insights into the condition which is not yet understood by experts, fully. 

The experts know a little about why some of the coronavirus patients, after going through an acute phase of the disease, struggle to recover and suffer ongoing symptoms including fatigue and brain fog among other cardiac and neurological disorders. Several studies have noted that potentially one in every 10 cases might have prolonged symptoms one month after COVID-19 infection. This, however, implies that millions of people across the globe might be suffering from the ongoing illness. 

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in the online seminar said that the with attentions of the world turning towards mass vaccination campaigns, “Long Covid should not fall through the cracks". He also said in the online seminar that the impact of ‘Long Covid’ on the society and the economy was beginning to become more clear and for those reasons “people start to listen” beyond the community of medical professionals. WHO chief said that the research over the disease is growing but it is “still not enough”.

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‘Long Covid could become pandemic on pandemic’

Another speaker, British doctor Gail Carson, from the International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium, cautioned that "Long Covid could become the pandemic on the pandemic". She even presented findings from a post-COvid support forum and raised the unfortunate situation of under-the-radar sufferers. "People are losing jobs, they're losing relationships. There's a real urgency to try and understand this," she said before noting that

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