Chronic fatigue: Britain facing avalanche of cases sparked by ‘Long Covid’, warn experts

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A new US study has revealed this week that two thirds of people who experience moderate coronavirus symptoms end up with Long Covid.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, often grouped under umbrella term ‘ME/CFS’, are disabling illnesses often confining sufferers to their beds.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) admit ME can be as disabling as multiple sclerosis and congestive heart failure.

For years ME/CFS experts have bemoaned the lack of resources into researching the cause and treatments of the complex condition.

Up to 22 percent of coronavirus patients suffer Long Covid, stricken with ME/CFS symptoms like fatigue, brain fog and muscle pain.

Yet historically it is tough to get an ME/CFS diagnosis as there is no single test and some doctors still have a poor understanding of the conditions.

Experts fear after three gruelling coronavirus waves, the numbers of Long Covid patients could dramatically rise by this winter.

Now charity ‘Action For ME’ are saying boosting research into ME/CFS could also help the 385,000-and-rising Long Covid sufferers in the UK.

Sonya Chowdhury, Chief Executive, Action for ME, said: “We’ve been supporting people with ME for over 30 years.

“We’re currently seeing a big spike in people contacting our services desperate for support and advice, after being newly diagnosed with, or concerned about having, ME.

The charity’s call comes as a US study reveals two thirds of people who experience moderate coronavirus symptoms end up with long Covid.

Researchers at the University of Arizona found among those who tested positive for Covid, 68.7 percent experienced at least one symptom after 30 days – the threshold for long Covid.

After 30 days, people with Long Covid reported feeling fatigue, shortness of breath, brain fog, stress/anxiety, altered taste/smell, body aches and muscle pain, insomnia, headaches, joint pain, and congestion.

Lead researcher Professor Melanie Bell said: “This is a real wake-up call for anyone who has not been vaccinated.

“If you get Covid, the chances you’ll experience long-term symptoms are surprisingly high.”

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ME/CFS is estimated to cost the UK economy at least £3.3 billion each year and just seven percent of children and 16 percent of adults get an ME diagnosis within the NICE guideline timescale of three-to-four months.

In fact, almost one in five adults are left waiting over six years for a diagnosis.

Action for ME is calling for a cash boost for clinician-led ME clinics that provide the same range of tests and support being afforded to those with Long Covid.

They ask for the public to sign their ‘Equity for ME/CFS petition, asking health officials to commit the same level of research funding and recognition to M.E. as with Long Covid.

They stressed that improving ME clinics will aid those with post-viral Covid symptoms and the estimated 250,000 people with ME.

This is a real wake-up call for anyone who has not been vaccinated.

Professor Melanie Bell

Dr David Strain, Action for ME’s Medical Advisor, said: “We still know very little about this deeply distressing and debilitating illness which bears a remarkable resemblance to ME and CFS, two illnesses which continue to receive little funding in comparison to the scale of need and impact.

“If we had invested in appropriate research decades ago (in) CFS and ME, we would be in a much better-starting place for long Covid.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We are committed to supporting people with long term conditions, including those with ME.

“At the start of this year, we launched a new Rare Diseases strategy to help speed up diagnosis, increase awareness and improve treatment and care for people with rare conditions.”

But one 47-year-old has told the Daily Express how she has suffered from Long Covid for 18 months – with classic ME/CFS symptoms.

Sue Lake, of Rugby in Warwickshire, was hospitalised in March 2020 for two weeks with Covid-related pneumonia and low oxygen levels.

By the time she returned home in April last year she was incredibly weak but with so little then known about Long Covid, doctors were left baffled.

Now the professional musician and music teacher says her chronic Long Covid affects her whole life.

She explained: “I can’t walk more than a few steps, have ME symptoms, pain everywhere, reduced cognitive ability plus a myriad of other symptoms.

“I don’t ever leave the house unless it’s for medical appointments because I can’t.

“Even simple pleasures like talking to friends and family on a video call is so exhausting and causes a relapse.

“I’ve never taken a day off work in my life previously because I’ve always had the mindset of pushing on through illness.

“However, Covid and Long Covid have completely crashed me. It’s not possible to push through as that just makes you relapse harder.

“If self-employed, health care is very expensive when you’re chronically ill – you don’t have any income!

“I don’t have an official diagnosis of ME because I haven’t been able to find a doctor to give me one.”

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