At least 10 to 20 per cent of people experience long Covid symptoms, the Government said at the Lok Sabha, quoting global numbers.
According to written reply in the Lok Sabha by Bharati Pravin Pawar, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, most people who develop Covid-19 recover fully. However, current global evidence suggests approximately 10-20 per cent experience a variety of mid and long-term effects after they recover from their initial illness.
Her reply was based on World Health Organization (WHO) data.
Long-term symptoms
The symptoms of long Covid may include fatigue, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, memory, concentration or sleep problems, persistent cough, chest pain, difficulty in speaking, muscle aches, loss of smell or taste, depression or anxiety and fever.
Pawar in her response added that the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had, on October 21, issued comprehensive guidelines for management of post-Covid sequelae. The document also contains detailed guidance for doctors on managing post-Covid complications that affect cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, nephrological, neurological and respiratory systems, as well as rehabilitation from such complications.