Health Minister warns that long-COVID symptoms can last longer than a year

Symptoms of long-COVID

Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony revealed that COVID-19 continues to affect many persons not just in its acute phase or period of infection, but also after infection, a condition termed long-COVID.

Dr. Anthony disclosed that studies have shown that about one-fifth of persons infected or re-infected with COVID-19 can develop prolonged symptoms that last for more than a year in some patients. The minister made this disclosure during Friday’s COVID-19 update.

“After someone would’ve had the acute phase of the infection, let’s say they were hospitalised and discharged, some persons would continue to experience symptoms for long periods of time, in some cases as much as a year and in other cases probably longer,” he informed.

Dr. Anthony explained that having prolonged symptoms does not mean a person is infectious but is experiencing lingering health problems caused by the infection.

The health minister pointed out that according to the British Medical Journal, about five per cent of persons who were infected or re-infected continues to have problems with their smell and taste.

Dr. Anthony revealed that the latest symptoms of long-COVID include problems with sex drive and hair loss. The minister noted that studies are ongoing to determine all the symptoms of long-COVID.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry has established a multidisciplinary team to monitor and provide care for long-COVID patients.

“In Guyana, we have set up teams of people who would normally see these patients depending on what symptoms we’re seeing or what symptoms they’re presenting with and we continue to treat them symptomatically,” Dr. Anthony said.

The minister revealed that 400 local physicians have been trained by top experts from the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York to help them better detect and treat patients affected by these prolonged symptoms. Drr. Anthony added that the medical team at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) will work with patients to ensure they receive treatment.