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Millions of people worldwide have been disabled by long COVID, new research has found.
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The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington has found that in the first two years of the pandemic, at least 17 million people across the 53 Member States of the World Health Organization European Region may have experienced long COVID.
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That is a 307% increase in new long COVID cases between 2020 and 2021, driven by the rapid increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases from late 2020 and throughout 2021.
The modelling also says that woman are twice as likely as men to experience long COVID.
And the risk increases among severe COVID-19 cases needing hospitalization, with one in three women and one in five men likely to develop long COVID.
“While there is much we still need to learn about long COVID, especially how it presents in vaccinated versus unvaccinated populations and how it impacts reinfections, this data highlights the urgent need for more analysis, more investment, more support, and more solidarity with those who experience this condition,” said Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.
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“Millions of people in our Region, straddling Europe and central Asia, are suffering debilitating symptoms many months after their initial COVID-19 infection. They cannot continue to suffer in silence. Governments and health partners must collaborate to find solutions based on research and evidence.”
The research says nearly 145 million people in the first two years of the pandemic suffered from long COVID with symptoms that include fatigue, bodily pain and mood swings, cognitive problems, and shortness of breath.
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“Knowing how many people are affected and for how long is important for health systems and government agencies to develop rehabilitative and support services. It’s also paramount for employers to understand, so that special accommodations can be made to help those facing limitations,” said Dr. Christopher Murray, Director of IHME, one of WHO’s 800 Collaborating Centers.
Most people who develop COVID-19 fully recover, but it is estimated that 10% to 20% develop a variety of mid- and long-term effects like fatigue, breathlessness, and cognitive dysfunction.
Long COVID can also affect mental health.
Long COVID has affected millions across globe, research shows - Winnipeg Sun
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