“The concept of ‘post-Covid-19 disease’ was labelled by WHO expert committees. A large variety of symptoms, as many as 65, were reported, including mental fatigue, affective emotional symptoms, cognitive deficits, breathlessness, palpitations, etc. There are conflicting reports regarding risk factors for persistent symptoms of post-Covid infection, with some studies indicating that those with Covid severity and the female gender are at higher risk,” said Dr Subhash Hira, professor of global health at University of Washington-Seattle and member of health committees of G20. “The cause of post-Covid is attributed to the virus hiding in body sanctuaries such as the inner eye, spine, testes etc. and it is frequently released and causes inflammatory reactions in multiple organs. The virus debris deposits also cause brain fog. India has the daunting task of handling millions with post-Covid,” he added.
Symptoms of long Covid
1. Photophobia (irritation to light), difficulty reading/blurred or double vision, difficulty watching fast moving objects; headache
2. Weakness in arms/legs, difficulty walking, driving car, performing personal chores like bath, dressing; altered body sensations
3. Difficulty remembering/finding word/concentratingmulti-tasking/expressing thoughts when speaking/mental slowness, increased sleep
4. Sleeplessness, irritability, phobias, nightmares
5. Feeling anxious or depressed
6. Difficulty swallowing
7. Muffled sentences, difficulty understanding speech
