Long Covid - Are We Taking It Seriously? | Webinar

Long Covid affects as many as 150,000 people in New Zealand. Shockingly, they report a quality of life similar to that of patients with severe cancer or severe MS.
As the focus on Covid-19 has waned and the public has largely returned to ‘normal’, many patients and health experts worry that the debilitating burden of long Covid is going unacknowledged. Public efforts to reduce transmission have largely stalled, yet each new case of long Covid has a profound and potentially life-long impact on patients and their whānau, as well as on our wider health and economic system.
In the webinar our expert panel will help us explore several important questions:
a) More than four years since Covid-19 made itself known, what do we know about long Covid and how to treat it?
b) How does the condition impact New Zealanders and their quality of life? Do we know the size of the problem, and who is most affected?
c) Are patients getting the support they need? If not, why not?
d) What policy and public health interventions are needed to reduce the risks of more people developing long Covid, and to help support those who have it already?
e) Where do we go from here? Is the government taking this seriously enough?
Our panel of experts includes:
Michael Baker - Professor of Public Health, University of Otago.
Paula Lorgelly - Professor of Health Economics and Population Health at Auckland University.
Jenene Crossan - Patient advocate with Long Covid Support Aotearoa.
Warren Tate - Emeritus Professor of Biochemistry, Otago University.

[@glenysrumsey2659]

Great webinar. Can see there is h to do to still so much to do to get closer to GP acceptance of these post viral illnesses, biomarkers, treatments and ultimately cure. I have 2 severely disabled young adult children, housebound with ME. Watching this space closely. Both my kids are desparate to be well and contributing to society again. But neither has even the energy to advocate for themselves. Thankyou Helen Clark Foundation for this webinar.

[@LetThoseOatsRoll]

Thank you for this

[@annanoall539]

I'm very impressed and grateful for this comprehensive webinar and the input of all participants. Jenine, your description of LC recovery as "snakes and ladders" was spot on... For the first time today, for me I have heard someone actually state, publicly and emphatically, that with regard to Long Covid services NZ MUST DO BETTER. The official neglect to date has been shameful. It was very interesting to hear the suggestion of AI-assisted diagnosis for long covid victims, because the I believe the dismissal and denial that LC patients have received from the medical community has been very harmful. I was pleased to hear Professor Tate mention neuroligical impacts which it seems to me NZ providers have been particularly resistant to or ignorant of, causing another layer of harm to patients with LC. Thank you all for the valuable input.

[@kiwikatnz1]

Thank goodness...Hopefully GPs will finally acknowledge the real importance of this sickness from affected people like myself and all others that have suffered. Have had covid 3 times and not seeing anything at the end of the tunnel and LC over and over I think.Its with me forever. Cheers.

[@jennyarnold6698]

Dang, I missed it - sent questions in beforehand though. My husband is affected by LC - 4 months since his first positive Covid test (RAT) and he just can't get back to energy levels anywhere near normal...18 or so symptoms inc light sensitivity, noise sensitivity, aches, sick feeling in gut when tired (every few hours)...etc etc. We have in his family line, a history of several people with ME/CFS - 12 years for one person and 28 for another, and distance maternal cousin and her sone - affected for many year.

[@SandraHoggan-hl6pc]

I was very ill with covid in icu when it first arrived , it has slowed me down terribly, I have painful joint ache now , I’m tired a lot , NO it is not taken anywhere near seriously enough I have not had a single call or letter to ask how I’m doing , I had good care in hospital, but since then NOTHING

[@patti3855]

Children's Health Defence interview reporting that Gain of Function work is being done by the Chinese and US on Bird Flu (just as they did with covid 19). It was said 10% - 15% of sufferers will die so will be more serious than covid 19. As a Long Covid sufferer I find this possibility very frightening as I am nearly 80yrs old and have been diagnosed with Primary Immune Deficiency. I did not have jabs as I was suspicious of covid 19 and jabs which was proved by witnessing so many folk affected by it.

[@2000disneyland]

I know the question period is over, but how does one know if they have LC or post vaccine related injury or illness? I got covid shortly after receiving the vaccine, so I’m not sure why I have these symptoms (2 years later and still not well). My USA Dr says there are no protocols or cures to help me.

[@traianliviudanciu8665]

If high amount of IgM occur,and if cryoglobuline effect also, increasing blood viscousity ,may be NAC(N acetylcisteine) can be useful ( but avoiding overdosage)?

[@jennyarnold6698]

I did ask our Dr to consider LDnaltrexone for a while, in case it helped and sent him a paper on it....he just relied that that was not a treatment for LC and would not help except if the patient was drinking alcohol a lot! Why are we paying for GP's who do not even know much about this stuff. It is very disheartening.

[@jennyarnold6698]

Gosh - if 8.5 k of people were blocked due to wrong information about vaccine injury - this in itself is interesting and important to know for future public health messages - and mental health responses - what causes such wrong info - I have long wondered if traumatisation in early life produces mistrust - etc etc...

[@jenenefreer1]

And unfortunately one step further, these weren't simply 'misinformation' messages - they were harmful and hateful. Blocking only used when comments become nasty, hate filled rhetoric. The lack of comms around vaccines has left a huge window for mistrust to fall into.

[@traianliviudanciu8665]

But did we know at what tissue temperature did SARS COV2 better replicate ? Why ? Because at TWiV 659 at min29 Christian Drosten suggest that SARS COV2 better replicate at very low tissue temperature (34C). Theoretically if we mitigate SARS COV2 infection,may be risk of long Covid diminish . May be use of antipiretic analgezic drugs if SARS COV2 infection occur,it is not the best choice ?

[@user-em3np4vr8c]

So many thoughtless people by sounds of it, 🎉not only dealing with being sick, its a double whammy of sickness, sickness of the mind!❤🎉🎉🎉

[@user-iz2cb2ti9j]

Long co-vid = the elephant in the room, the co-vid clot shots.

[@kathleenking47]

Try using nattokinase Or eat Natto takes getting used to..the taste is weird and texture, slimy

[@davemcmullen6682]

It's a herd of elephants...Yet many still can't see the truth

[@mountainsofmourne]

Yet the doctors are giving a middle-aged family member another shot of the Vac. This is supposed to clear out some lingering Covid remains in the gut! He has had at least five vacs/boosters and has had Covid twice. Now a debilitated man long term.

[@Rev695]

Did you use the fake pcr test😂😂😂

[@patti3855]

To confirm do research Dr. Kary Mullis inventor of PCR, research not diagnostic tool , for which he received Nobel Peace Prize. He said in 1993 it could diagnose nothing particularly corona viruses. He also said Anthony Fauci was a criminal. Dr. Mullis , conveniently for THEM, died on 7th August 2019.

[@jennyarnold6698]

Dr Bruce Arrol is a strong promoter of Lightening Process - (see the recent Goodfellow Unit March 2024 symposium. Health pathways also seems to promote LProcess for teens - go have a look.

[@traianliviudanciu8665]

How can maintain higher mucouseal respiratory temperature, If thermogenesis are weakened by different causes ? May be surgical mask wearing not only stop droplets,but also maintain higher mucouseal respiratory temperature ?

[@traianliviudanciu8665]

At TWiV 659 at min29 Christian Drosten suggest that SARS COV2 better replicate at ( 34- 35C)low tissue temperature.