Health Council wants more attention for Long Covid

Long Covid needs more attention. According to the Health Council, that can ensure that patients with long-term complaints after a coronavirus infection are better helped and informed. The Council does not yet know to what extent Covid-19 vaccinations and the milder Omicron variant affect the development of Long Covid.

According to the Council, additional scientific research must therefore be conducted into the disease to identify causes and risk factors of Long Covid. Monitoring the care of log-term Covid patients is essential, the Health Council said in advice to Minister Ernst Kuipers of Public Health. 

People with Long Covid often suffer from fatigue, shortness of breath, headaches, forgetfulness, loss of smell, palpitations, muscle aches, and anxiety complaints. The complaints can sometimes last for months, although it is possible that they will subside after a while. The symptoms must last at least three months to be Long Covid.

People of all ages can get the syndrome. Though the Council emphasized that research into complaints in children can be complex because they are not always easy to question due to their age.

The Health Council relies mainly on scientific research into the first cases of Long Covid, also known as the post-Covid syndrome. Not enough is known about the longer-term complaints of people who got Covid-19 more recently. It is also difficult to say whether vaccination helps against contracting the syndrome. Vaccination helps against contracting the coronavirus and, therefore, also against Long Covid. But whether vaccination also protects against the syndrome if someone does get the coronavirus despite vaccination is unclear.

The Council also does not know how often people get Long Covid. Research into this is still ongoing.