We have written this page to help you in your recovery from Covid-19 infection.
Around 10% of people will experience ongoing symptoms more than four weeks after an episode of Covid-19. Most of these will be feeling better by twelve weeks.
‘Long Covid’ is a term coined by patients themselves before the condition was fully recognized by the medical profession. In the UK ‘Post-Covid-19 syndrome’ has been defined by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE)
Ongoing symptoms after 12 weeks not explained by an alternative diagnosis. It usually presents with clusters of symptoms, often overlapping, which can fluctuate and can affect any system in the body.
We do not yet know what causes Long Covid. We know anyone can be affected regardless of age, gender or whether you had a mild or severe illness. Common symptoms include fatigue, breathlessness, brain fog, sleep disturbance, cough, smell disturbance, low mood and anxiety and can drastically impact your daily functioning.
Recovery is an uncertain journey. We want to support you by taking a ‘whole person’ care approach by looking at your individual symptoms and how they are impacting on your life. Feeling unwell profoundly affects the way we perceive ourselves, what we can and cannot do, how we behave and relate to those around us. We can help by assessing you and helping to devise an individual recovery plan. Everyone’s needs and recovery are unique and we can signpost you to services, therapies and techniques that can help.
General resources
www.yourcovidrecovery.nhs.uk for information on managing symptoms, wellbeing and recovery
Connected Kingston to help you find information and support within Kingston
https://www.kingston.gov.uk/covid-19-kingston – Stronger Together Hub, services through Kingston Social Care
https://enderley.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Covid-booklet-post-discharge-hospital-FINAL.pdf
Covid recovery exercise programme from physios at Northwick Park Hospital and recommended by our physio team here at Kingston health Centre
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/physical_medicine_rehabilitation/coronavirus-rehabilitation/_files/impact-of-covid-patient-recovery.pdf Programme for Covid recovery from Team at John Hopkins in USA and recommended by physios here at Kingston Health Centre
The Long Covid Self-help Guide – Book from specialists at the Post-Covid Clinic in Oxford (Green Tree)
Fatigue
Practical advice on conserving energy for people during and after Covid-19 from Occupational Therapists
Sleep
https://onboarding.sleepio.com/sleepio/nhs-sleepio/122#1/1 general advice and sleep programme
Smell disturbance
Lost or changed sense of smell – NHS (www.nhs.uk) –
SmellAbility© – Training & Testing – Fifth Sense
Breathlessness
Breathing exercises for breathlessness
Voices of Hope (voh.org.uk) 6 week course – weekly 40min sessions to help with breathlessness and anxiety based around singing
Mental Health
https://www.icope.nhs.uk/kingston/ – mental health support, Long Covid Health Management Group, guided self- help and CBT
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus/ -mental health information and support
www.worry-tree.com App- based help to manage worry
More than a Game – Mental Health Support– Exercise for mental health for young people run by Fulham Football Club
