The policy for people with lung covid falls short in several areas. That’s in it the first advice to the cabinet about people with long-term health problems after contracting Covid-19 from the Social Impact Team (MIT). This team advises on the impact of possible measures in the event of future epidemics. When making policy, the cabinet should listen more closely to this group of patients, because the disease has a ‘considerable’ impact on both themselves and society.
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The team finds several problems in dealing with long-term covid. For example, more medical and social knowledge is needed. “The unfamiliarity with lung covid not only causes knowledge gaps, but also misunderstanding or even denial.” The MIT advises the cabinet to make more money available for research and experimental care.
People with lung covid also encounter barriers in society, including in healthcare and education. For example, young people who can no longer go to school due to long-term health problems, or people who can no longer work. According to the MIT, the government should ensure that patients can participate in society as much as possible. For example, it advises making digital distance learning possible for children with lung covid as soon as possible.
In the Netherlands it is not kept track of how many people suffer from these complaints, while according to the MIT this is necessary for a representative picture of this group. Based on research from the United Kingdom, the MIT thinks that about 90,000 people in the Netherlands are “seriously limited in their participation in society” due to long-term complaints. Minister of Health Ernst Kuipers (D66) said earlier that he is against registration because there is no clear definition of lung covid and it will cause more work pressure.
‘Disruptive’
The MIT concludes that the government’s approach is currently “not convincing and not very visible”, leading to “a lot of mistrust, indignation and anger” among patients. To this end, it recommends “a robust and open dialogue” with patient organisations.
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The World Health Organisation speaks of lung covid if certain complaints persist or develop three months after infection, and there is no other explanation for those complaints during a period of two months. These complaints range from painful muscles and loss of smell and taste to fatigue, breathing problems and concentration and memory problems.
According to the MIT, these complaints are “disruptive” to the daily lives of these people, such as “for their physical but also their mental health, for their household and family, social activities and leisure activities, for their work and income [en] for their school and education”. The MIT also mentions the social costs involved in dropping out of school, absenteeism and care as a result of lung covid.