Fear and dread haunt Covid-19 'long-haulers' | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Book Review
    • Brands
    • Earth
    • Explorer
    • Fact Check
    • Family
    • Food
    • Game Reviews
    • Good Practices
    • Habitat
    • Humour
    • In Focus
    • Luxury
    • Mode
    • Panorama
    • Pursuit
    • Wealth
    • Wellbeing
    • Wheels
  • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Videos
    • TBS Graduates
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • COVID-19
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Tech
    • Magazine
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Wednesday
September 27, 2023

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Home
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Book Review
    • Brands
    • Earth
    • Explorer
    • Fact Check
    • Family
    • Food
    • Game Reviews
    • Good Practices
    • Habitat
    • Humour
    • In Focus
    • Luxury
    • Mode
    • Panorama
    • Pursuit
    • Wealth
    • Wellbeing
    • Wheels
  • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Videos
    • TBS Graduates
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • COVID-19
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Tech
    • Magazine
  • বাংলা
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2023
Fear and dread haunt Covid-19 'long-haulers'

Coronavirus chronicle

03 September, 2020, 04:05 pm
Last modified: 03 September, 2020, 04:10 pm

Related News

  • ‘Mini-Cox’s Bazar’ in Netrokona lifeless in Covid-19
  • UK to launch daily Covid tests in food sector to tackle 'pingdemic'
  • Cox’s Bazar beach horses left to die unfed
  • How the Covid-19 pandemic adversely affected voluntary blood donation
  • Covid-19 to drive for better adoption of e-contracts

Fear and dread haunt Covid-19 'long-haulers'

Breathlessness, memory loss, extreme fatigue, headaches, brain fog, muscle pain and swelling joints, are commonly described among multiple recurring symptoms in global online patient advocacy blogs and chatrooms

03 September, 2020, 04:05 pm
Last modified: 03 September, 2020, 04:10 pm
Felicity Callard, a 49-year-old British university professor and lecturer who suffered from the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), is pictured during an interview at her house in London, Britain, September 2, 2020. REUTERS/Matthew Childs
Felicity Callard, a 49-year-old British university professor and lecturer who suffered from the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), is pictured during an interview at her house in London, Britain, September 2, 2020. REUTERS/Matthew Childs

Until March 19 this year, Felicity Callard, a 49 year-old British university professor and lecturer, was fit, active and strong. Now, she says, she's exhausted, frail and scared.

Her mind fills with fears about what kind of damage might have been done to her heart, lungs and brain when she suffered what is classified as a "mild" case of Covid-19 more than five months ago - and she's terrified it might happen again.

"I was absolutely, completely destroyed by this illness," she told Reuters. "My life has completely changed. I'm basically confined to a kilometre from my house and back - because that's as far as I can walk."

Back in March, she says, she felt more individual control over her health. She was reassured in part by messages that the vast majority of cases are mild, and that good infection control, hand hygiene and social distancing would reduce the risk of contracting Covid-19. Now, however, she feels as though "the threat is everywhere."

Callard is one of thousands of people worldwide who are reporting a wide range of ongoing symptoms many months after being diagnosed with Covid-19. Some call themselves Covid "long haulers", while others have adopted the term "long Covid" to describe their condition.

Breathlessness, memory loss, extreme fatigue, headaches, brain fog, muscle pain and swelling joints, are commonly described among multiple recurring symptoms in global online patient advocacy blogs and chatrooms.

And for many, the anxiety, depression and dread are at least as debilitating as the physical frailties.

"That's been the pattern - relapse and remit - for so many of us," said Sandra Edwards, a 46-year-old Briton who now helps run a newly-formed patient advocacy group called LongCovidSOS.

"We're in no man's land. We don't know if this is chronic or if it will come to a point where we'll make a full recovery," she told Reuters. "You wake up in the morning and don't know how you're going to feel - not just day by day, but sometimes hour by hour. It slowly chips away at you."

According to LongCovidSOS, data from a symptom tracker app devised by King's College London scientists shows that 10 percent of Covid-19 patients are still unwell after three weeks, and up to 5 percent may continue to be sick for months.

UNCERTAINTY

"Mentally, you feel abandoned," said Morena Colombi, a 59-year-old from Truccazzano in the Italian province of Milan who was diagnosed with Covid-19 in February and is still suffering symptoms. "Even the doctors don't know how to help you."

"Maybe one day you get better, and the next day you pay for it," she told Reuters. "You can no longer resume your life as before and that makes you depressed."

Til Wykes, a psychology professor at King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IPPN), notes that uncertainty is a key feature of anxiety. The unknown progression of the disease leaves doctors unsure of how to help, and can make patients feel fearful and alone.

"For most illnesses we have an understanding about what will happen first, what will happen next, and what to expect," she said. "The problem (with Covid) is that the symptoms come, then seem to be abating, but then they come back again."

After the World Health Organization met groups representing long-term Covid sufferers last month, the WHO's director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus assured them: "We hear you loud and clear".

But he cautioned: "We still know relatively little about the long-term effects. We only have less than eight months of experience (of the coronavirus pandemic) to draw on."

Patients like Callard and Edwards say they recognise doctors are dealing with a completely new disease caused by a novel virus, so can't be expected to have all the answers. But they and mental health specialists say the psychological impact of this unpredictability and lack of control make things worse.

Rona Moss-Morris, head of psychology at the IPPN, says evidence from previous disease outbreaks and from studies of patients who have been in critical or intensive care shows a significant impact on levels of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

"And it's also very frightening for people being at home – and not in hospital - and feeling they can barely breathe, for example," she told Reuters.

"We're hearing horror stories from people who were in that kind of situation."

Effect of Coronavirus

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Power price, subsidy to rise as govt has to pay producers at latest dollar rate
    Power price, subsidy to rise as govt has to pay producers at latest dollar rate
  • Photo: BSS
    BB formulates digital payment policies with quick refund, penalty provisions
  • Obaidul Quader speaking at a peace and development rally arranged by the Dhaka District Awami League in Keraniganj this afternoon (26 September), protesting terrorism, militancy, anarchy, ill-politics and anti-state conspiracy of the BNP and Jamaat. Photo: Collected
    Sheikh Hasina cannot be stopped through visa policy, sanctions: Quader at rally

MOST VIEWED

  • US dollar banknotes are seen in this illustration taken on 10 March 2023. Photo: Reuters
    Taka weakens even further
  • The Fitch Ratings logo is seen at their offices at Canary Wharf financial district in London,Britain, March 3, 2016. REUTERS/Reinhard Krause
    Fitch now rates Bangladesh's foreign debt outlook negative
  • Experts say Dhaka has at least 18 times more than the population it can actually support. Photo: Rajib Dhar
    DAP relaxes floor area ratio, planners raise concerns over Dhaka's livability
  • Dollar rates raised to Tk110 for remitters, exporters
    Dollar rates raised to Tk110 for remitters, exporters
  • Why Biman struggles to overcome pilot shortage
    Why Biman struggles to overcome pilot shortage
  • Record Bangladeshis hired in Italy this year, $800m sent home
    Record Bangladeshis hired in Italy this year, $800m sent home

Related News

  • ‘Mini-Cox’s Bazar’ in Netrokona lifeless in Covid-19
  • UK to launch daily Covid tests in food sector to tackle 'pingdemic'
  • Cox’s Bazar beach horses left to die unfed
  • How the Covid-19 pandemic adversely affected voluntary blood donation
  • Covid-19 to drive for better adoption of e-contracts

Features

India-Canada clash should be a wakeup call

India-Canada clash should be a wakeup call

22h | Panorama
It is highly unlikely that inflation rate is going to come down soon. PHOTO: TBS

No more central bank loans to the govt: Will it be enough to curb inflation?

22h | Panorama
Why Bangladeshi patients flock to India

Why Bangladeshi patients flock to India

23h | Panorama
Nooruddin Complex: Of childhood, dreams and a sense of community

Nooruddin Complex: Of childhood, dreams and a sense of community

23h | Habitat

More Videos from TBS

How dependent is Canada's economy on India?

How dependent is Canada's economy on India?

12h | TBS World
IMEC; Is the main objective to stop China?

IMEC; Is the main objective to stop China?

11h | TBS World
Why Biman struggles to overcome pilot shortage

Why Biman struggles to overcome pilot shortage

14h | TBS Insight
Global Finance's report card: Bangladesh Bank governor got ‘D’

Global Finance's report card: Bangladesh Bank governor got ‘D’

14h | TBS Stories
EMAIL US
[email protected]
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2023
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - [email protected]

For advertisement- [email protected]