New Covid-19 study worries experts

The longterm consequences of Covid are greater in women than men says a new study alarming healthcare experts Survivors of the viral infection are likely to report general weakness oxygenation troubles anxiety and depression found the study published in Lancet on August 28 The data for the research was collected between January and May last year from a hospital in Wuhan which had reported the first Covid case in October 2019As per Dr Subhash Hira Professor of Global Health at the University of WashingtonSeattle and an invited member of WHOGeneva Review Forums on Covid 2469 survivors were chosen for followup at 6 and 12 months ldquoOf 1276 survivors who did both visits the median age was 59 and 681 53 per cent were menrdquo he saidThe expert said ldquoThe adverse features occurred in longCovid at 6 and12 monthsrsquo followups in 5070 per cent individuals These were mainly related to metabolic diseases that manifested with muscle pain weaknessfatigue mental health conditions that manifested with anxiety frustration and depression and obstructive diffusion illnesses in the lungs Epidemiologists following longCovid manifestations are a worried lot due to the exponential increase in the burden of chronic illnesses in the world as it will have a direct bearing on deteriorating the health systemsrdquoDr Hira said ldquoWomen had 14 times significantly higher risk of fatigue or muscle weaknesspain 2 times significantly higher anxiety or depression among women and 3 times significantly higher lung diffusion impairment Furthermore matched Covid19 survivors at 12 months had more problems with mobility pain or discomfort and anxiety or depression and had more prevalent symptoms than the controls hadrdquo He said overall most of the survivors had a good physical and functional recovery during the 1year followup and they returned to their daily lifeAlso read Mumbai 18 at Mankhurd childrenrsquos home test Covid19 positiveA woman who recovered from Covid being disinfected in Wuhan PicAFPldquoThe data suggests that full recovery after 1 year is not possible for some patients especially the radiologic lung changes Additionally information about healthcare use increased burden of health systems and work quality during the first year after Covid affliction among these patients is scarcerdquo he saidDr Ketan Vagholkar Professor of Surgery D Y Patil Medical College said Covid has a multitude of newer presentations with unpredictable outcomes About the Wuhan study he said ldquoFatigue characterised by malaise and muscle weakness was a common sequel in recovered Covid patients Pulmonary complications still continue to be the biggest challenge in treating recovered patients Worsening of comorbidities such as diabetes renal disease and more so thromboembolic events need serious attentionrdquo The expert added ldquoCitizens must report to their physicians if they experience any new symptoms after recovery from Covid at the earliestrdquoUnderscoring the importance of the findings Dr Wiqar Shaikh Professor of Medicine Grant Medical College and Sir J J Group of Hospitals said ldquoEvery major medical institution in the country urgently needs to have a postCovid outpatient clinic to manage longCovidrdquo He also said that there is a need to carefully look after women and children to prevent longterm complications of the disease The potential third wave of the pandemic could hit in SeptemberOctober and will likely have more hospitalisations and higher deaths than the first two waves in India said Dr Shaikh Kids and more women will likely be hit he saidDr Shaikh quoted a Canadian study published in JAMA Pediatrics on August 16 that divided children into age groups of 03 years 48 years and 913 years It concluded that younger children may be more likely to transmit the virus than older children The study observed the highest transmission was in kids of 03 yearsDr Wiqar Shaikh professor of medicine Grant Medical College and Sir JJ Group of HospitalsDr Shaikh also cited a UK study published in Lancet Infectious Diseases on August 28 which concluded that the Delta variant will likely double the rate of hospitalisation He added ldquoThis is a matter of great concern since the third wave in India is likely to be dominated by the Delta variant India urgently needs to ramp up its medical infrastructure particularly in rural and semirural areas and the government needs to ban all mass gatherings including political and religious functions as well as severely crackdown on inappropriate Covid behaviourrdquoCiting the Wuhan study Dr Santosh Bansode HOD of Emergency Medicine Wockhardt Hospitals Mumbai Central said ldquoPeople who were hospitalised and recovered may suffer breathing difficulty anxiety or depression and muscle fatigue or weakness but most of them will return to their original work and life Some may have lower health status even after 1 year of recoveryrdquoHe added ldquoPeople who are not infected yet by this virus should take maximum care People who are recovered also should do regular breathing exercises and have good nutrition that will help them normalise their health statusrdquo