‘Covid has not gone away’

Chris Haines ICNN Senedd reporter

As many as 100,000 people in Wales, including 4,500 children, could still be suffering from long Covid nearly five years after the pandemic struck, the Senedd heard.

Hefin David warned Covid has not gone away, with many thousands of people who feel like a forgotten group still suffering from the effects today.

Dr David, who represents Caerphilly, recalled meeting Lee David Bowen, an opera singer from Trethomas, who suffered from long Covid.

He said: “I’m glad to say he’s back now, singing, and very successfully so – he’s been in the West End. But when I met him, he was a shadow of that person.

“The effect it had on his body, on his voice and on his brain was tragic to see, and though he has made what can only ever, we feel, be a partial recovery, we have seen that recovery.”

‘True scale of the problem’

Leading a debate on December 11, he praised Gareth Yanto Evans, from the Long Covid Support charity, who has been instrumental in keeping long Covid on the agenda.

Dr David warned of a lack of data on long Covid, with Wales not taking part in a survey in March that showed 3.3% of people in England and Scotland were living with the condition.

He told the Senedd: “If we were to use that data to extrapolate similar numbers for Wales, it would equate to at least 100,000 people, including 4,500 children – and this is likely to underestimate the true scale of the problem.”

Dr David called for a public health campaign to highlight the danger of repeated Covid infections which increases the chance of developing long Covid.

He said people with long Covid are not necessarily classified as clinically vulnerable, so many are unable to access booster vaccines.

‘We were not protected’

Dr David quoted a friend as saying: “We feel like a forgotten group, and it will hopefully get people realising the devastation it causes. People think that Covid is a thing of the past, but I’ve suffered since being hospitalised with Covid in March 2020.

“Frontline workers, teachers, NHS staff and carers have been particularly hit by this – many losing their careers and income. We were not protected.

“Many are being refused ill health retirement as permanence of the condition cannot be proved. I have had to give up my career as a college lecturer as chronic fatigue, brain fog, and dysphagia meant I can no longer teach, despite reducing my hours.”

Dr David raised concerns about the Welsh Government’s Adferiad (Recovery) long Covid programme which offers physiotherapy, occupational therapy and counselling.

He said: “These interventions alone are insufficient to completely rehabilitate patients. In some cases, patients are being prescribed with exercise which can cause long-term harm.”

‘Profound impact’

Responding for the Welsh Government, Jeremy Miles warned Wales was still experiencing waves of the infection and new variants of the virus.

The health secretary said long Covid can manifest in many ways, with more than 200 symptoms reported to date, and have a profound impact on people’s lives.

Mr Miles, who was appointed in September, stated the Welsh Government has increased annual funding for health boards to deliver the Adferiad programme locally to £8m a year.

He said additional funding will widen access to recovery services to other similar conditions such as fibromyalgia, myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome.

In closing, he told the Senedd: “We will continue to focus on this important consequence of the pandemic and we will work with the NHS to meet people’s individual needs.”