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Long Covid: What it can mean for you

We have all been dealing with a lot for the past 2 years. Covid seemed to control our lives, and with many of us getting so sick is it any wonder? Now though, as we start to see a light at the end of the tunnel and our lives return to somewhat ‘normal’, many of us are still suffering with the after-effects of this horrific disease.


Did you know that long Covid is classed as a disability and with that, you could be entitled to help through the Disabled Students’ Allowance?

Common long COVID symptoms include:

  • extreme tiredness (fatigue)
  • shortness of breath
  • chest pain or tightness
  • problems with memory and concentration ("brain fog")
  • difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
  • heart palpitations
  • dizziness
  • pins and needles
  • joint pain
  • depression and anxiety
  • tinnitus, earaches
  • feeling sick, diarrhoea, stomach aches, loss of appetite
  • a high temperature, cough, headaches, sore throat, changes to sense of smell or taste
  • rashes

Professor Charles Bingham FMedSci – Professor of Immunology at Imperial College London writes for The Royal Society: “For a significant proportion of people, Covid-19 is turning out to be a long-term illness – a condition that has become known as “Long Covid”.

For weeks and even months after the initial infection is thought to subside, patients are reporting a wide range of persistent symptoms. According to some estimates, between 2.3% and 10% of people who test positive for Covid-19 experience some symptoms for 12 weeks or longer. These can include fatigue, breathlessness, headaches, chest pains, palpitations and dizziness. Yet, there still isn’t a clear idea of just how common long Covid is or how serious a problem it is likely to be, both for individual patients and wider society as a whole”.

The NHS website advises:

Contact a GP if you're worried about symptoms 4 weeks or more after having COVID-19

Information:

Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: how to contact a GP

It's still important to get help from a GP if you need it. To contact your GP surgery:

  • visit their website
  • use the NHS App
  • call them

Find out about using the NHS during COVID-19

The Doctor may suggest some tests to find out more about your symptoms, or, to rule out other causes.

These might include:

  • blood tests
  • checking your blood pressure and heart rate
  • a chest X-ray

Symptoms can vary from person to person, but it is vitally important that you seek help if you are suffering from any of the above symptoms. Putting this off could impact on your studies as well as your health. If it is concluded that you do have long covid the Disabled Students’ Allowance may be able to help you with support. Give us a call today on 01522 530099 or email us info@yorlinc.com to see what you could be entitled to!

Written by Laura Cunningham, Social Media Editor

23rd September, 2021

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