The long-term effects of COVID-19 can be devastating for the young and able-bodied, but also for those who have not been hospitalized. Patients with distant complications from COVID-19 are still reporting to doctors.
According to specialists, when it comes to SARS-CoV-2 virus infections, we are on a descending wave. However, there are still patients in serious condition. And the new challenge is the long-term effects of COVID-19.
The long-term effects of COVID-19 can be devastating even for people who are young and fit or who have not been hospitalized, despite the initial symptoms of the disease, that is, not only after severe COVID-19
What are the long-term effects of COVID-19?
Different names are used to refer to the long-term effects of COVID-19, which can lead to confusion. In addition to long-term effects, terms such as “long-term COVID-19 disease,” “persistent symptomatic COVID-19,” and – “post COVID” and “long COVID” are used. In all these names, it is always about symptoms persisting or appearing after an acute course of the disease.
An acute course of COVID-19 is considered an infection that has lasted up to four weeks. This is how long the infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus usually lasts. Above this period, i.e. from the 4th to the 12th week, there can be a so-called ongoing symptomatic COVID-19. When the complaints appear later, after the 12th week of the infection, and cannot be explained by another diagnosis, all other terms are used, including – post COVID syndrome.
Long COVID is considered both ongoing symptomatic COVID-19 (4th to 12th weeks) and post COVID-19 (12 weeks and beyond). The World Health Organization (WHO) considers long COVID-19 to be the continuation or development of new symptoms after three months of primary SARS-CoV-2 virus infection, with symptoms persisting for at least two months with no other explanation. They can be the same as in the acute phase of the disease or completely different.
How can this be explained?
Doesn’t the virus get completely eradicated after recovery and can still survive in the patient’s body for some time? It is not known, but some scientific reports indicate this. According to one hypothesis, SARS-CoV-2 can reactivate, causing a recurrence of infection symptoms. Another explanation is that overactive immune cells release large amounts of inflammatory substances in the body, attacking the patient’s internal organs.
Long-term effects of COVID-19 can include mood disorders, known as brain fog, headaches and dizziness, depression and anxiety, as well as heart rhythm disturbances, chest pains and electrolyte disturbances. Other symptoms include muscle and joint pain, skin changes, constipation or diarrhea, and stomach pain.
Recently, autoimmune diseases have become more prevalent and may be associated with COVID-19. These include conditions such as systemic vasculitis, rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis and systemic lupus erythematosus. Systemic vasculitis is damage to blood vessel walls due to inflammation, causing bleeding or thromboembolic disorders. Autoimmune processes may be responsible for it
COVID-19 is just a lung disease?
He points out that COVID-19 is not only a lung disease, there is also damage to the endothelium of blood vessels. Encephalitis also happens. Some patients experience discomfort for a long time.
Not just for a few months. Some do not recover fully even after 2-3 years. One of the reasons may be deterioration of mental health.
Some scientific reports console that after infection with Omicron, a subvariant of SARS-CoV-2, there is less susceptibility to long COVID. However, so far they are not entirely reliable.
Vaccination and distant symptoms of COVID-19
For those vaccinated, the positive news is that even after primary vaccination, distant symptoms of COVID-19 are less common. Vaccines make a statistically significant difference in the incidence of pocovid syndrome
Antibiotics have been misused and abused for many months, especially at the beginning of the pandemic. We will feel the development of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections for some time to come.
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