Guest column: COVID-19 long-haul carriers should not be forgotten as crisis grows

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We hear the announcements on a daily basis.

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Yesterday there were so many new cases of COVID-19; the other day so many people died or were hospitalized. Our success in managing the pandemic is expressed in daily numbers and how today’s numbers compare to yesterday’s.

This extends to our treatment of the virus. The criteria vary by province, but are largely similar, and people are considered “recovered” from the disease when they have reached 7 to 14 days after diagnosis.

These people are framed by health officials and in statistics as success stories, as the lucky ones who got over it and have moved on with their lives.

And this myopia is exactly why another crisis is brewing, one that threatens to be here long after the last COVID-19 diagnosis is made.

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For every person who dies from the virus, many more are living with health problems that last long after their initial diagnosis, such as chest pain, abdominal pain, chronic fatigue, shortness of breath, even stroke and diabetes.

Up to one in five COVID-19 patients is so affected that they emerge with a new disability. Up to one in three may also experience a neurological or psychiatric illness that persists long after the defined recovery period.

With 1.6 million Canadians diagnosed with COVID-19, that could mean more than half a million people are facing these long-term challenges. That number is growing and the impact it is having is devastating.

Take a job. Due to their debilitating symptoms, “long haulers” are often unable to hold on to work. The resulting financial impact forces many to sell valuable possessions like their cars or homes, while the cost of medication to relieve symptoms further drains their savings.

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Relationships can also fall apart under the physical, mental and financial burdens created by this ongoing struggle with divorce rates increasing as the number of people with post-COVID symptoms increases.

Depression has also increased during the pandemic, and as Long COVID Canada founder Jonah McGarva said of his ordeal that has lasted for more than a year: “It wears away your sense of self-worth.”

And it’s not just self-esteem that is jeopardized – our economy is already facing a labor shortage, our healthcare system is overwhelmed, and our mental health system is at risk of being overburdened.

Well, what do you need to do?

One of the first steps is to recognize that many people diagnosed with COVID-19 are playing an extended game.

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In the United States, measures have been taken that reflect this. Many with prolonged COVID are now eligible for disability assistance which provides them with a monthly income and other support for the challenges of their ongoing illness. It is an acknowledgment that a week or two is not the end of the ordeal.

The Canadian government has offered financial support here and there, but nothing comparable. Most of it has been very short-term and very little has been implemented to help those who have lost work due to ongoing symptoms or are seeking to return to work in a modified capacity.

Another way to demonstrate a long-term approach is for the health care system to adapt to the needs of patients who continue to struggle long after the supposed recovery period.

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Post-COVID-19 recovery clinics, which remain highly selective and inaccessible to many, must be equipped with the resources to handle increasing numbers of patients, while medical professionals must stay current and show their understanding of the impacts. long-term disease.

We must also do a better job of using our strengths collectively. Rather than provinces having overlaps, there should be closer coordination between policy makers, public health officials, and researchers across Canada to reduce inconsistencies that create confusion, conflict, and delays in responding to the needs of Canadians.

It is important to address the daily challenges of COVID-19, but we must also realize that there is no way to overcome this pandemic, you just have to adapt to it.

And we are not moving fast enough.

Spencer van Vloten is a Vancouver-based disability advocate, while also serving as the editor of BC Disability, an online disability resource.