Daily Life Restored After 757 Days... Remaining Challenge Is 'Post-COVID Sequelae'

Post-COVID-19 Sequelae 'Long COVID'... Diverse Symptoms Including Fatigue, Loss of Smell, Hair Loss
2 out of 10 Confirmed Cases Visit Hospitals Due to Sequelae
Increase in Long COVID Raises Social Costs Such as Medical Expenses
US Researching Standardized Long COVID Treatments... UK Operating About 90 Specialized Clinics
Health Authorities "Ongoing Investigation on COVID-19 Sequelae... Interim Report Expected in Second Half of This Year"

As social distancing measures such as private gathering limits and business hour restrictions were fully lifted, citizens hurried on their way to work at Gwanghwamun Station in the Seoul subway on the 18th, returning to pre-COVID-19 daily life. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] On the 18th, as 'social distancing' was fully lifted, expectations for a return to normal life increased, but vigilance against 'Long Covid'?the aftereffects of COVID-19?could not be relaxed. With the cumulative number of confirmed cases reaching about one-third of the domestic population, it was found that 2 out of 10 people who had been confirmed with COVID-19 visited hospitals due to aftereffects even after recovery. They reported various symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, and memory loss.

Since COVID-19 is a novel infectious disease, the definition, frequency, and severity of Long Covid have not been clearly established. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines Long Covid as symptoms of unknown cause persisting for more than two months after a COVID-19 diagnosis, while the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines Long Covid as symptoms appearing four weeks after infection. Symptoms vary widely, ranging from residual COVID-19 symptoms such as cough, sputum, sore throat, and shortness of breath to fatigue, headaches, memory decline, and loss of smell or taste. Cases of depression, anxiety, enteritis, and hair loss have also been reported.

Many people worldwide experience Long Covid after recovering from COVID-19. According to data from the UK Office for National Statistics reported by the BBC on the 3rd, 1.5 million people have experienced Long Covid. Among them, 685,000 have had symptoms lasting more than a year. The U.S. nonprofit research organization 'Solve Long COVID Initiative' diagnosed that 1 in 3 confirmed cases suffer from aftereffects, which accounts for about 7% of U.S. adults.

The situation is no different domestically. According to the quarantine authorities on the 31st of last month, a survey on aftereffects conducted by the National Institute of Health in collaboration with the National Medical Center, Kyungpook National University Hospital, and Yonsei University Medical Center involving 47 patients showed that 20-79% of patients experienced symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, memory loss, sleep disorders, and mood disorders. Additionally, an analysis by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service in January of 21,615 COVID-19 confirmed patients found that 19.1% (4,139 people) visited medical institutions due to aftereffects.

Temporary screening clinic set up at Seoul Station Plaza on the 12th./Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

However, these domestic studies have mainly focused on patients with underlying conditions, severe cases, and hospitalized patients, so data on aftereffects among the general adult population is still insufficient. Professor Park Hee-yeol of Myongji Hospital's COVID-19 Aftereffects Clinic appeared on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' on the 5th and predicted that at least 10% of confirmed COVID-19 patients may experience aftereffects in the future. Professor Park forecasted, "Since about 15 million people have been confirmed domestically, around 1 million people will suffer from COVID-19 aftereffects."

If the number of people experiencing Long Covid increases, the social cost burden may rise. According to the 'Solve Long COVID Initiative,' personal losses including wages and medical expenses due to long-term aftereffects are estimated at a total of $386 billion (approximately 476 trillion KRW).

Accordingly, countries around the world have taken national-level measures to address the Long Covid issue. On the 5th, U.S. President Joe Biden instructed the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct national research to resolve long-term aftereffects of COVID-19 patients. HHS plans to invest $20 million (about 2.43 billion KRW) to investigate how to assist patients suffering from Long Covid and to establish specialized clinics nationwide. Additionally, a 'Health+' project will be implemented to provide standardized treatment methods at Long Covid specialized clinics.

The UK's National Health Service (NHS) announced an initial response to Long Covid as early as October 2020. Thanks to this, about 90 Long Covid clinics are currently operating across the UK.

Our country's quarantine authorities are also conducting surveys to prepare for the future disease burden caused by Long Covid. Lee Sang-won, head of the Epidemiological Investigation and Analysis Team at the Central Disease Control Headquarters, stated at a regular briefing on the 31st of last month, "Research on COVID-19 aftereffects is still insufficient worldwide, limiting active treatment and response," and revealed that a survey on COVID-19 aftereffects is underway targeting about 1,000 confirmed patients under the age of 60.

The government currently plans to conduct research involving 1,000 subjects through a network of 14 domestic medical institutions related to Long Covid investigations, aiming to announce interim results in the second half of this year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.