A Covid test (Stock image)
(Picture: PA Archive)An estimated 2.3 million people in Britain are currently living with self-reported long Covid, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics.
Around 3 per cent of Britons said that their symptoms of the virus had continued for longer than 4 weeks after initial infection as of September 3, the figures showed.
Nearly three-quarters (72 per cent) of those surveyed said that their symptoms had negatively impacted their day-to-day activities, while 15 per cent said their ability to undertake their day-to-day activities had been “limited a lot”.
The most common symptoms reported by those suffering from the condition were fatigue (69 per cent), difficulty concentrating (45 per cent) and shortness of breath (42 per cent).
There is no standard measure for long Covid, with the ONS using a definition based on symptoms that have persisted for more than four weeks after a first suspected infection, where the symptoms could not be explained by something else.
Last month, the Standard reported how five London trusts and their charities have joined forces in order to provide care for those suffering from long Covid.
The five hospitals and their charities are based in southeast London and are Guy’s & St Thomas’ Charity, King’s College Hospital Charity, Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust Charity, Maudsley Charity, Oxleas NHS Trust Charity.
Experts from King’s College London said earlier this year that there are three different “subtypes” of long Covid which each have their own set of symptoms.
One group comprised with neurological symptoms including fatigue, brain fog and headache – most commonly found among those who became infected when the most dominant strains were alpha and delta.
A second group experienced respiratory symptoms including chest pain and shortness of breath. This was found more commonly among those infected during the first wave of the virus.
And a final group are experiencing a diverse range of symptoms including heart palpitations, muscle ache and pain, and changes in skin and hair, King’s College said.
Researchers examined 1,459 people living with long Covid – defined by the study authors as suffering symptoms for at least 84 days after infection – who were taking part in the Zoe Health study.
