‘Recovered patients should take precautions against long Covid’

KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry yesterday cautioned people on “long Covid”, or the post-Covid-19 syndrome, advising former patients that precautions should be taken even after they have recovered from the disease to lower the risk of serious health problems.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the ministry’s clinical data showed that the majority of Covid-19 patients in Malaysia fully recovered from the infection.

However, he said, a handful had been affected by the postCovid-19 syndrome.

He said according to a clinical study conducted by the ministry involving 1,004 categories 4 and 5 patients who received follow-up treatments, he said 66 per cent of them suffered from long Covid.

He said among the five symptoms often experienced by former Covid-19 patients were fatigue, difficulty breathing when doing activities (exertional dyspnea), difficulty sleeping at night (insomnia), cough and anxiety.

“On Dec 18, 2020, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the United Kingdom, issued a guideline on long Covid, or better known as the post-Covid19 syndrome.

“This syndrome is a condition in which a former Covid-19 patient still show signs and symptoms for a period of up to 12 weeks or more and those symptoms cannot be explained by any alternative diagnosis.

“This condition results from a complication of the Covid-19 infection on the function of various organs in an individual’s body,” he said yesterday.

Dr Noor Hisham said to date, the treatments offered to long Covid patients were based on the symptoms exhibited by the patient (symptomatic relief) and the bodily functions involved.

“Referrals to relevant areas of expertise will be made to ensure patients receive optimal clinical treatment.

“Clinical studies will continue to be conducted to understand and identify the effects of the post-Covid-19 syndrome and it will be communicated to the public from time to time.”

Therefore, he said, discharged Covid-19 patients will be given follow-up treatment appointments and they would be reminded to keep them according to the scheduled date.

He also advised former Covid19 patients who still suffered from symptoms to seek medical advice and treatment at a nearby clinic or hospital.

“This is important to maintain the former patient’s health at its best and reduce any long-term complications.

“It is, therefore, very important to keep ourselves and our family members safe from the dangers of Covid-19 and register for the vaccine to reduce the risk of contracting the serious disease.

“This is because the effects can be prolonged and may reduce a person’s quality of life as well as productivity.

“We should also note that young people are the primary group of workers in various sectors in our country. Healthy young people are the key to the nation’s productivity.”