10/21/2020 Long Covid: Who is more likely to get it?

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Long Covid: Who is more likely to get it?

By James Gallagher
Health and science correspondent

9 hours ago

Coronavirus pandemic

VICKY BOURNE

Vicky Bourne still has some symptoms in October having first become ill in March

Old age and having a wide range of initial symptoms increase the risk of
"long Covid", say scientists.

The study, seen by the BBC, estimates one in 20 people are sick for least eight
weeks.
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10/21/2020 Long Covid: Who is more likely to get it? - BBC News

The research at King's College London also showed being female, excess
weight and asthma raised the risk.

The aim is to develop an early warning signal that can identify patients who
need extra care or who might benefit from early treatment.

The findings come from an analysis of people entering their symptoms and
test results into the Covid Symptom Study app.

Scientists scoured the data for patterns that could predict who would get
long-lasting illness.

The results, which are due to be published online, show long Covid can affect
anyone, but some things do raise the risk.

What raises the risk?

"Having more than five different symptoms in the first week was one of the key
risk factors," Dr Claire Steves, from Kings College London, told BBC News.

Covid-19 is more than just a cough - and the virus that causes it can affect
organs throughout the body.

Somebody who had a cough, fatigue, headache and diarrhoea, and lost their
sense of smell - which are all potential symptoms - would be at higher risk
than somebody who had a cough alone.

The risk also rises with age - particularly over 50 - as did being female.

Dr Steves said: "We've seen from the early data coming out that men were at
much more risk of very severe disease and sadly of dying from Covid, it
appears that women are more at risk of long Covid."

No previous medical conditions were linked to long Covid except asthma and
lung disease.

What is long Covid like?

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10/21/2020 Long Covid: Who is more likely to get it? - BBC News

VICKY BOURNE

The precise symptoms of long-Covid vary from one patient to the next, but
fatigue is common.

Vicky Bourne, 48, started off with a fever and a "pathetic little cough" in
March, which became "absolutely terrifying" when she struggled to breathe
and needed to be given oxygen by a paramedic.

She was not admitted to hospital, but is still - in October - living with long
Covid.

Vicky's health is improving, but her vision has changed and she still gets
"waves" of more severe illness. Even walking the dog takes so much out of her
she can't talk at the same time.

She told the BBC: "I have strange, almost arthritic joints and weirdly, two
weeks ago, I lost my sense of taste and smell again, it just went completely.

"It's almost like there's inflammation in my body that's bouncing around and it
can't quite get rid of it, so it just pops up and then it goes away and pops up
and goes away."

Vicky is not alone. The study estimates:

One in seven people is ill for at least four weeks

One in 20 people is ill for at least eight weeks

One in 45 people is ill for at least 12 weeks

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10/21/2020 Long Covid: Who is more likely to get it? - BBC News

The King's researchers have created a piece of computer code to pick out,
from the start of a coronavirus infection, who is at risk of long Covid.

It is not perfect. It correctly identifies 69% of people that go on to develop

long-Covid, but also tells around a quarter of people who would recover
quickly they would get long Covid too.

Dr Steves said: "We think that's going to be really important, because then we
could identify those people, maybe give them preventative strategies, but also
crucially, follow them up and make sure they get the rehabilitation they need."

'Long Covid': Why are some people not recovering?

'Long Covid could be four different syndromes'

Long Covid: St Annes man 'never recovered' from long-term effects

Prof Tim Spector, who leads the Covid Symptom Study said: "It's important
that, as well as worrying about excess deaths, we also need to consider those
who will be affected by long-Covid if we don't get the pandemic under control
soon."

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: "The findings of the
Covid Symptom Study are stark and this should be a sharp reminder to the
public, including to young people, that Covid-19 is indiscriminate and can have
long term and potentially devastating effects."

The government has released a new film aimed at raising awareness of long
Covid symptoms.

The NHS recently announced a £10 million package to run designated long
Covid clinics in every area of England.

Follow James on Twitter

RAISING AWARENESS OF TESTICULAR CANCER: Chris Hughes is on a

mission

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10/21/2020 Long Covid: Who is more likely to get it? - BBC News

LOOKING AFTER YOUR MENTAL HEALTH: Escape to the rainforest with

the Mindul Mix

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