A recently opened clinic at the University of Canberra Hospital is helping Canberrans recover from ‘long COVID’. It treats patients aged 16 and over who have symptoms of COVID-19 more than three months after contracting the virus.
Some people might be fatigued, sleep badly, have trouble breathing, or be unable to exercise, even after the first infection has subsided, said Rachel Stephen-Smith, ACT Minister for Health.
Some might find it difficult to work; others who put work first might have no energy left to spend time with their family and friends.
“For many long COVID patients, the debilitating symptoms of the virus are compromising their quality of life,” Ms Stephen-Smith said. “It’s really difficult to manage.”
At the Post-COVID Recovery Clinic, an interprofessional team ensures patients can get the care they need. An individualised, specialist rehabilitation program helps them get back to their day-to-day activities, Ms Stephen-Smith said.
Patients can see a rehabilitation medicine specialist, a physiotherapist, an occupational therapist, an exercise physiologist, and a social worker.
They can also be referred to psychologists, neuropsychologists, nutritionists, and dieticians in Canberra Health Services.
“This clinic has such an important role to play in helping Canberrans get back to their family, friends, jobs and communities,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
At the clinic, UC and CHS are researching care for ‘long COVID’ – contributing to international research, and to the global response to COVID-19, Ms Stephen-Smith said.
“What we learn from this research through the clinic will contribute to further innovations in the public health system into the future.”
The ACT Government allocated a further $105 million to the COVID-19 health response in the March budget review.
“The pandemic isn’t over, and we’ll continue to invest both in those frontline responses and in COVID recovery for people who experiencing extended symptoms with ‘long COVID’,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
“So obviously [this is] a difficult time for our health system – a system that is under pressure with the staffing shortages that we have seen, But a system that continues to provide really incredible care, both to patients with covid-19, those who are recovering from it, and people who are coming into our health system for a whole wide range of other issues.”
