The latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) data showed an estimated 385,000 people have experienced long Covid for one year or more. The figures reveal that in total 962,000 people had self-reported long Covid of any duration on 6 June 2021. Of these just 76,000 or 8% were hospitalised when they first caught coronavirus, and 242,000 were under the age of 34.
The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Coronavirus said the government must take the risk posed by long Covid into account ahead of lifting restrictions.
Extra precautions needed
A headline this week mentioned that ‘extra precautions’ may be needed in England after 19 July. The Prime Minister is responding to the increase in the delta variant of Coronavirus.
This week the APPG on Coronavirus said the figures showed the government must take the risk posed by long Covid into account ahead of lifting restrictions on 19 July. Earlier this week health experts warned that rehabilitation services could be overwhelmed by a rise in cases of the debilitating condition.
Layla Moran, Chair of the APPG on Coronavirus
“Covid is not like the flu, it can cause long-term serious illness in otherwise young and healthy people including children. Even those who are not hospitalised have a risk of developing this debilitating condition, leaving them needing ongoing support for many months to recover.
“Yet we’ve heard how the current patchwork of support services for long Covid patients is already overstretched and under-resourced, leaving people waiting in pain for treatment.
“The new health secretary must consider the impact of long Covid ahead of lifting restrictions on 19 July, to prevent another wave of cases that could have a devastating impact on our health service and economy. Gavin Williamson must also consider the risk posed by long Covid to pupils as part of plans to relax Covid measures in schools.”
The APPG has made a series of recommendations to improve support for those living with long Covid, after receiving evidence from a large number people struggling with the consequences of long Covid.
