SPÖ federal women’s spokeswoman Eva-Maria Holzleitner criticized a central coordination point during a background discussion with those affected in the SPÖ parliamentary club on Wednesday. Ten to 15 percent suffer from the long-term consequences of corona disease (“Long Covid”) for months to years, even after mild courses. These include rapid exhaustion and a reduction in physical performance of up to 80 percent, which means that coping with everyday life becomes a challenge. About 40 percent of those affected by Long Covid can no longer return to their previous jobs. Nevertheless, doctors sometimes send those seeking help away or to psychologists with words like “There is nothing, they have nothing”, as Alexa Stephanou from the Long Covid Austria initiative described. “We need medical help and no psychotropic drugs,” she complained about the lack of knowledge among doctors about the clinical picture.
Necessary examinations are not financed by the social insurance institutions because they are not covered by the catalog of benefits. Instead, investigations would then be carried out “of which one knows that they will bring nothing,” says Stephanou. Individually adapted therapies are needed that take personal performance limits into account – so-called “pacing”. Nevertheless, many rehabilitation facilities would rely on the wrong cure, not least because of a lack of guidelines. If you don’t heal, the SV suggests you take out an invalidity pension, says Stephanou, stunned.
Still no contact point for those affected
Although they have been in contact with the Ministry of Health since March 2020 and have already presented concrete suggestions for improvement several times, “nothing happened”, regretted Maarte Preller, founder of Long Covid Austria. There is still no official contact point for those affected. The S1 guidelines for diagnostics and dealing with Long Covid were created without involving those affected. Accordingly, many doctors in private practice lack understanding for their patients. One feels let down by the places from which one would have expected help, Preller continued.
“It’s crazy to recommend young people to apply for an invalidity pension,” said Rudolf Silvan, spokesman for the Ombudsman’s Office for the SPÖ. “This is a declaration of bankruptcy by the welfare state” and also a consequence of the “failed reform of the social security system”. The Minister of Health should recognize Long Covid as an occupational disease and set up a coordination office. The SPÖ will submit corresponding motions in Parliament. “You can’t pass everything on to volunteers,” Holzleitner was also combative and announced critical questions to Health Minister Mückstein in the Parliament’s Science Committee on March 9th.
Source: Nachrichten
