March 27, 2024
Reti seeks advice on long Covid
Health Minister Shane Reti says he has established an expert group to give advice on what should be done about long Covid.
A University of Otago study has found those most at risk of getting long Covid are school teachers, healthcare workers and people who are immunocompromised are most at risk of getting long covid.
Professor Amanda Kvalsvig says her study supports global estimates that between four and 14 percent of people with Covid-19 will have ongoing symptoms ranging from mild to severe.
Dr Reti says he’s aware of the study.
“Long Covid is a problem that’s being managed all around the world. A variable 10 to 20 percent of people who have Covid then move into long Covid. We’ve established an expert advisory group to advise us on that and we’ll be interested to see the international environment, what their developments are and whether we follow them or not,” he says.
The Otago study recommended the Government increase monitoring and risk assessment, take active measures to reduce the spread of Covid, and extend vaccine eligibility to younger groups.
It said long Covid affects all ages and frequently results in prolonged illness that can be disabling. It occurs with first infections and reinfections and follows all virus variants. There is currently no cure, making prevention critical.