Younger people and women in particular suffer from it, emphasized Susanne Rabady, Vice President of the Society for General and Family Medicine (ÖGAM) at a press conference in Vienna. A guide for doctors to identify and treat the complex symptoms was presented. Rabady and Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein (Greens) advised vaccination.
“The vaccination is the best protection against Long Covid,” said Mückstein. The vaccination numbers would decrease and have slowed down in the past three weeks, at the same time there are more younger infected people. Young and women in particular suffer from severe long-term consequences. “Even if they do not end up in the hospital, they have a high risk of developing Long Covid,” warned Mückstein the affected population groups and appealed for vaccinations.
From shortness of breath to depression
“The study situation is still relatively poor,” said Rabady in relation to Long Covid. The colleagues in the practice needed “help”, explained the doctor from Karl Landsteiner University. Around 200 different symptoms have been recorded under the term Long Covid so far. These include shortness of breath, persistent coughing, loss of the sense of smell and taste, muscle pain and severe states of exhaustion (fatigue syndom) through to depression.
First of all, according to Rabady, the guide is about identifying the cause and whether there is a connection with a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Subsequently, “how severe” the problem is must be clarified. “There are aids for this, which our guideline also provides,” explained Rabady. “The most important thing is the professional conversation with the patient,” she emphasized. Finally, the guideline also helps to decide “when and whether further clarification is necessary”.
How rehab works
“The subject-specific care is designed in such a way that the general practitioner assigns”, explained Ralf Harun Zwick, medical director of the outpatient internal rehabilitation at Therme Wien. Afterwards, for example, a heart specialist will take care of any heart muscle inflammation, a pulmonologist will deal with damage to the lungs or a neurologist will deal with specific complaints in his area. Rehabilitation is about “pacing”, which means “finding a pacemaker”. A lower stimulus is set, but this is increased step by step. “We achieve great success with this,” said Zwick.
Video: Doctors are now better sensitized to Long Covid
“Unfortunately, those affected were not involved in the process of developing these guidelines,” criticized Alexa Stephanou from the self-help group and patient initiative “Long Covid Austria” at the press conference. The initiative will soon provide feedback on the guidelines. Austria has a “good health system”, emphasized the 38-year-old, who was still unable to work 16 months after an infection and was still suffering from long-term effects. Thanks to the guidelines, those affected in Austria could in any case be better cared for, she welcomed the information compiled for doctors in principle.
Time was of the essence, it was the beginning of a process and a “living guideline” that needed constant updating, assured Rabady of the Society for General and Family Medicine. “We know that most of the complaints subside after weeks and months, but these weeks and months also have to be overcome,” emphasized the doctor. It is true that not all of them are affected for a long time, but “too many”. “We understand that there is a pandemic in the shadow of the pandemic,” said Mückstein about Long Covid. In Austria there are an estimated 65,000 to 90,000 people affected, some of whom are already well again. The health minister also announced talks with self-help groups.
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
