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Many people in Britain are likely to experience physical and mental problems for several years after the Covid-19 epidemic has subsided. That is the grim message from doctors and psychologists who warned last week that even after the closure measures have been lifted, thousands of people would continue to suffer.
Some of these problems are directly due to the impact the virus has had on those it has infected, especially those who have undergone life-saving interventions in intensive care units (ICUs) in the hospital. In addition, there will be a considerable impact on vulnerable people affected by confinement and isolation.
As a result, there is a danger that our society will become more anxious and risk-averse, say scientists who have called for a series of research programs to be launched to understand the problems and allow society to prepare for physiological problems and psychological. that are ahead
“This has been a national trauma like no other we have experienced,” said professor psychologist Dame Til Wykes of King’s College London. “Consider the terrible floods we had earlier this year. People watched the river levels rise and listened to the weather forecasts to find out if they could flood the next day or the next day. That was stressful.
“But it was nothing compared to this threat that has already been upon us for weeks and is likely to continue for much longer. Spending months looking over your shoulder all the time will cause considerable and lasting anxiety for many people. Also, if you observe other natural disasters, you can usually find help or comfort from the people around you. However, it is the people around him who are the threat in this case. So there is no comfort there. “
This point was endorsed by Rory O’Connor, professor of health psychology at the University of Glasgow. “Increased social isolation, loneliness, health anxiety, stress and an economic downturn are a perfect storm to harm people’s mental health,” he said.
“If we do nothing, we risk seeing an increase in mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, and an increase in problem behaviors such as drug and alcohol addiction, gambling, cyberbullying, or consequences. such as homelessness and the breakdown of the relationship. “
These are problems facing society in general. The researchers cautioned that there are likely more problems with Covid-19 and that they have been treated in the ICU. These problems have been revealed in studies of those who contracted two other diseases caused by coronaviruses: severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (Mers), and who also required intensive care in hospitals.
“Being in an ICU can be a horrible experience,” said Wykes. “Studies of those who were treated in the ICU by Sars and Mers reveal that many had PTSD months, sometimes years, after the event, especially if they were put on ventilators. That can cause panic on its own. Later, you get flashbacks, extreme anxiety, particularly about your family and your partner. “
In a study by researchers at the University of Hong Kong of people who had contracted Sars, it was found that those who survived the disease still had, one year later, elevated levels of stress and “worrying levels of psychological distress.” They also showed alarming levels of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic symptoms. “There are many reasons to expect to see the same type of symptoms that appear in those directly affected by Covid-19,” added Wykes.
In addition to the psychological impact of the disease, it is also clear that persistent physiological problems are likely to be associated with Covid-19. “No one knows exactly what the disease will do in the long term for patients, but we do know what impact other forms of viral pneumonia, which Covid-19 may trigger, may have on patients,” said Professor Ian Hall of the University of Nottingham. .
With these conditions, many patients experience significant lung scarring and are affected by a condition known as advanced respiratory distress syndrome that may require months of recovery. “There is some initial evidence to suggest that for Covid-19 patients, it may take even longer,” he said.
Hall added that there are likely to be impacts on other parts of the body. “For example, Covid-19 can cause severe inflammation that affects patients in the early stages of dementia and can leave them increasingly confused and stressed.”
Cardiologist Professor Tim Chico of the University of Sheffield also noted studies indicating that people hospitalized with Covid-19 were also at risk of having blood clots in multiple locations, including their lungs, veins, and brain. “Crucially, the risk of blood clots with Covid-19 appears to be even greater than the increased risk of blood clots seen in other serious diseases,” he said. Such an effect would leave patients vulnerable to pulmonary embolisms, strokes, and deep vein thrombosis.
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