A full recovery from COVID-19 can be frustratingly difficult for millions of people who have been infected with the virus and have survived. Many individuals have a wide range of health issues long after they appear to have recovered from even a moderate incidence of illness. Long COVID clinics are springing up as researchers strive to figure just how long and deep the illness is, so they can better treat patients. Some of COVID’s debilitating effects may endure even after the epidemic is over, resulting in a long-term economic and health burden.

However, long-term lung, heart, and nervous-system difficulties, as well as psychological impacts, can occur in some patients who are affected by COVID 19. Even though SARS-CoV-2 infection was initially mild, it is more common in women, middle-aged people, and those who initially had greater COVID symptoms. Also in November, a comprehensive study using data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs identified significant variations in terms of age, race, sex, and baseline health state among veterans. Another study published in the journal Nature indicated that people with long-term COVID symptoms have a 59% greater risk of dying within six months. For every 1,000 COVID patients, the pandemic’s hidden toll is around eight more fatalities.

People with “post-COVID-19 condition” have symptoms that continue at least two months and cannot be explained by an alternative diagnosis, according to the World Health Organization. Common symptoms include exhaustion and a loss of cognitive function that can have a negative impact on daily life. Symptoms of these ailments may begin to occur after the acute phase of COVID has passed, even though there are no visible signs of the sickness. Ongoing fluctuations and relapses are also possible. According to the World Health Organization, this definition may vary with time, and a distinct definition may be necessary for youngsters. According to some groups, long-haulers may have a constellation of symptoms that warrants an alternative definition.

Because of the lack of long-term studies, researchers can’t say for sure what the long-term impacts will be, or how many patients will experience them. About 10% to 20% of patients have lasting symptoms for weeks to months following an illness, according to several published research. The incidence of scarred lungs, chronic heart damage, weariness, and other disorders among survivors is evident from early findings and the requirement for specialized clinics. More than one million persons in the United Kingdom have been diagnosed with COVID, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Is Covid-19 to responsible for all of these side effects? The answer is no. 14 percent of persons who were infected with the coronavirus developed one or more linked problems that necessitated medical attention beyond the acute phase, according to major research published in the BMJ in May. People in the control group, on the other hand, had the same problem. Stress and anxiety can cause some symptoms to appear out of the blue.

Limits on social activities, such as lockdowns, school and company closure, loss of employment or economic declines, as well as changed government priorities, all have the potential to adversely affect mental health, a study published in The Lancet found. 53.2 million new cases of major depressive disorder have been identified, as well as another 76.2 million new cases of anxiety disorders. It is possible that even life-saving treatment can produce complications in some acute cases of COVID. Uncertainty has led to “medical gaslighting” by health providers who don’t take complaints seriously, particularly if the patient is a woman.

Chronic fatigue syndrome, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, and kidney impairment may all be long-term consequences of the pandemic. Suicide and opiate overdoses have increased as a result of an increase in treatments for depression, anxiety, and pain. Overdose deaths are expected to rise sharply in 2020, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 69 percent of patients reported lower work hours, which indicates that the pandemic is affecting labor productivity. Since there are about 240 million confirmed illnesses worldwide, even a tiny percentage with a long-term disability might have tremendous societal and economic impacts. If difficulties persist over a long period of time, these consequences will be compounded.