COVID-19 patients still need to be monitored for several months after recovery to prevent them from being rushed to hospitals again, according to an infectious disease expert on Friday.
“When you recover, you still have to monitor and follow-up with your doctors. You have to monitor yourself, 2 to 3 months after the infection, once you are recovered, you are still in that particular window na kailangan kang imonitor,” said Dr. Rontgene Solante, head of San Lazaro Hospital Adult Infectious Diseases.
It is said that a few percent of patients have what is called long COVID.
“This group of patients in particular ang na-damage nila is really the lungs. So when they were discharged hindi pa fully functional yung lungs nila,” Solante explained in an interview with TeleRadyo Friday morning.
He also said that there are patients who seem to be well and are suddenly rushed to the hospital because their shortness of breath has worsened or their condition has worsened.
He said this is what they observed patients, especially those whose illness was severe and critical, who stayed in the hospital for a long time and used oxygen.
COVID-19 survivors should be monitored 2-3 months after recovery
“Most of the time, pag they are in the community, pag-uwi ng bahay they can be infected again, bacteria infection or naging severe ulit kalagayan nila because of comorbidities or any other conditions,” he said.
Long COVID is already recognized in the Philippines and is also being given medical attention based on the symptoms shown by a patient, unlike last year that its symptoms were not treated to be connected in acquiring COVID-19.
Most symptoms are fatigue, difficulty sleeping, forgetfulness, and loss of taste and smell. It is also said that there are severe symptoms such as pneumonia or heart disease, which causes death.
Long COVID also has a psychological effect because the patient may go through depression or anxiety due to the fear that they will not recover. As such, treatment counseling is also included.
Although the connection of Long COVID to autoimmune diseases is not yet specific, some patients develop the autoimmune disease after COVID-19.