Around 57,000 people in Scotland are estimated to have been living with long Covid for more than a year. This latest figure is a jump from 31,000 seen in 2021 at the same time.
Estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show 164,000 people in Scotland are living with the condition overall. In response to this news, charity Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland have called for action to ensure those with long Covid can access the full range of services they need.
According to the NHS, long Covid is seen in those who have recovered from Covid-19 but continue to experience symptoms for more than 12 weeks. ONS statistics further report the most common symptoms of the condition to be fatigue, shortness of breath, loss of smell and muscle ache.
A pilot project has been launched by the charity in NHS Lothian which allows GPs to refer patients to its long Covid support service. Allan Cowie, the charity's interim chief executive, said: "Tens of thousands of people in Scotland have been living with the effects of long Covid for well over a year now and their daily lives are being hugely impacted by debilitating symptoms.
"People living with the condition tell us that long Covid is affecting their ability to work, socialise with friends and family, exercise and even leave the house. On top of that they are still struggling to access the tests they need and support isn't consistent.
"There needs to be a full wraparound package of care in place that caters to people's medical needs and provides holistic support to help them live well with their condition. The pilot project that we developed with NHS Lothian and Pogo Digital Healthcare has allowed us to integrate our service with primary care so GPs can easily refer patients directly into our long Covid support service.
"We want to adopt this approach across the country and we're appealing to the Scottish Government to help make sure this happens quickly."
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