A total of 669 people were followed (mean age 43 years, 60% female, 25% of healthcare professionals and 69% without underlying risk factors that could be related to complications from COVID-19). At 6 weeks from diagnosis, nearly a third of participants still had one or more symptoms related to COVID-19, mainly fatigue (14%), shortness of breath (9%) and loss of taste or smell (12%). In addition, 6% reported a persistent cough and 3% reported headaches. Dr. Mayssam Nehme, Senior Resident in Professor Guessous’s team and first author of this work, also explains how these patients felt: “In addition to the physical distress of their symptoms, many were very worried: how much longer would it last? Were some after-effects irrecoverable? Even without a clear medical answer, in the current state of knowledge, it is important to accompany concerned patients and to listen to them,” she adds. With this in mind, the HUG has set up a specific consultation for long COVID patients in order to improve their care and guide them through the health system.

Université de Genève. “COVID-19: persistent symptoms in one third of cases.” ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201208111551.htm (accessed December 8, 2020) — https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201208111551.htm

Journal Reference

1. Mayssam Nehme, Olivia Braillard, Gabriel Alcoba, Sigiriya Aebischer Perone, Delphine Courvoisier, François Chappuis, Idris Guessous. COVID-19 Symptoms: Longitudinal Evolution and Persistence in Outpatient Settings. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2020; DOI: 10.7326/M20-5926

I’ve been quiet for a few days, no writing, no posting. I conducted a small experiment of allowing contact with tiny human petri dishes while not wearing a mask. Naturally I caught whatever those tiny disease vectors had. The good news? My life partner wore a mask during the encounter. She’s fine.

Masks work.