FM December 2020 digital P

sufferers deeply miserable. They struggle
to get out of bed or to work for more than
a few minutes or hours at a time. A study
conducted on 143 people with COVID-19
discharged from a hospital in Rome found
that 53% had reported fatigue and 43%
had shortness of breath at an average of
2 months after their symptoms started.
Another study in Chinese patients showed
that 25% had abnormal lung function after
3 months and that 16% were still fatigued.
Not unique to COVID-19 patients,
chronic fatigue is a common symptom after
initial recovery from many viral infections.
Some symptoms such as cough can also
last for months. However, with SARS-CoV-2
infection, it looks more long-lasting. The
number of people getting affected also
appears to be far greater.
Watch out for mental health
Yet another long-lasting consequence of
COVID-19 is on mental health. A longer stay
in ICUs and ventilators can result in several
mental conditions, including anxiety,
depression, post-traumatic stress disorder
and sleep disturbance.
KERALA STARTS
POST-COVID CLINICS
K K Shailaja
AGONISING FATIGUE
A Chinese follow-up study
on COVID-19 patients found:
25%
of the patients
were
showed abnormal
lung function
after 3 months
16%
still
fatigued
The health department of the
southern Indian state of Kerala
has decided to set up specialized
clinics to ensure follow-up
treatment to people who recovered
from COVID-19.
These ‘COVID-19 Convalescent
Clinics’ will be established across
the state’s community health
centres, family health centres, talukdistrict-general
hospitals and govt
medical colleges, said state health
minister KK Shailaja.
As per the guidelines issued
by the department, all persons
who have recovered from the
coronavirus infection must
necessarily visit the facilities.
The clinics will provide follow-up
treatment every month. The post-
COVID division, overseen
by District Medical Officer, will
remain open once every week
during fixed hours. Health staff will
undergo specialized training for the
purpose.
Recovered patients can
also seek treatment through a
telemedicine facility.
The guidelines define postacute
COVID-19 as manifestations
extending beyond 12 weeks. For
some people, some symptoms
may linger for weeks and months
following initial recovery.
The majority of the patients
who recovered from COVID-19 are
suffering from fatigue, respiratory
issues, memory loss, sleep
disorders and depression, reports
said.
A growing number of health
facilities are launching dedicated
clinics or programmes for COVID-19
patients with lingering symptoms in
many parts of the world, especially
in the US and Europe.
In the US, many academic
medical centres have opened
clinics to aid patients with
long-term symptoms, including
University of California-San
Francisco, Stanford (Calif.)
University Medical Center and
Philadelphia-based Penn Medicine.
Cleveland Clinic also plans to open
one in early 2021, according to
reports.
December 2020 / FUTURE MEDICINE / 35