IMAGES of nursing staff clapping as once critically ill Covid-19 patients leave hospital is a cheering sight – but this is not the end of the story.
Many of those who have recovered are still far from being in full health, and might suffer from lingering lethargy or impaired mobility, for example.
I believe a plethora of new health problems is waiting in the wings, post-pandemic. Even those who were not ill enough to have been admitted to hospital may be left with lingering health issues.
We know, for instance, that some people develop depression after experiencing other viral illnesses. There is no reason why Covid-19 should be any different.
Now is the time to identify those most at risk of failing to get back to full health and ask how to help them.
Should they have a chance to convalesce, for example? Up until the 1940s, spending a period of time relaxing in a peaceful rural environment, or by the sea, was regarded as an essential step towards the restoration of good health.
The discovery of a trio of drugs capable of curing tuberculosis in the 1950s meant the sanatorium industry died away. Yet giving patients a chance to ease back into normal life has something to be said for it.
With that in mind, Covid-19 patients must not be pushed to go back to work or their normal life with indecent haste. We must also be able to offer them the medical care they need after recovery. Physios, dietitians, psychotherapists and GPs will all play vital roles here.
In this fast-paced world, great emphasis is placed on immediacy, but when it comes to recuperating from Covid-19, it may just require time.
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