Since her symptoms appeared in 2021, Andrea Vanek has been spending most of her days in front of the window of her apartment in Vienna, watching the outside world. This 33-year-old Austrian woman was diagnosed with long-term Covid after taking many treatments, and she does not make any great effort until today for fear of facing… A new bout of debilitating muscle weakness.
“My life is on hold, because I don’t know how long my illness will last,” she told Agence France-Presse. Opening a bottle of water becomes an impossible task for her when she suffers from a bout of muscle weakness.
The symptoms of the disease were initially dizzy and heart palpitations, which suddenly began to prevent her from walking short distances, before changing the course of her life. In the midst of this transformation, she was forced to abandon her studies in applied arts.
Just 5 years ago, the disease appeared in China. It has since killed more than 7 million people around the world, but the World Health Organization indicates that this number is much lower than the actual deaths.
Her life changed radically
Of the 777 million recorded infections, millions suffer from long-term symptoms, most notably extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, muscle pain, and brain fog.
6% of people infected with the Coronavirus suffer from its long-term form. “This is a serious problem affecting a large number of people,” says Anita Jain of the WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme, while repeated infections increase the risk of facing long-term Covid.
Chantal Britt, who lives in Bern, Switzerland, was infected with the Corona virus in March 2020. Her life changed radically.
She says, “I used to wake up early in the morning…but today I need at least two hours to get out of bed because I feel pain all over my body.”
The 56-year-old, who describes herself as a “workaholic”, adds: “I no longer hope to wake up in good shape, and the feeling of helplessness and brokenness still amazes me.”
Exercise was a “therapy” for this former runner who lacked mobility. She now has to plan her daily life moment by moment, such as thinking, for example, where she will sit if she goes out shopping.
She says that she lost her job in the communications field two years ago after she asked to reduce her working hours, noting that she got a part-time job in university research, especially related to long-term Covid.
Invisible disease
Chantal Britt says she is tired of her surroundings’ lack of understanding of the disease, adding: “It is an invisible disease and therefore stigmatized.”
She continues, “Even people with severe injuries who are at home in a dark room and are very disturbed by the slightest noise do not appear ill.”
Women are affected more than men, according to the World Health Organization. About 15% of those infected suffer from persistent symptoms for more than a year, and more than 200 cases have been recorded annually.
Infections fluctuate over time and may become less or more serious, which puts medical teams in a powerless position. Diagnosis may be a daunting task for them.
The World Health Organization expert says, “We must now redouble efforts to help patients and doctors with the necessary tools to detect the condition at an early stage.”
Another issue is related to supporting patients financially, as many of them become unstable. Andrea Vanek has filed two lawsuits in hopes of obtaining more than the 800 euros ($840) per month she is currently receiving.
This amount is not enough in Austria to cover its expenses, which have increased due to treatments and medications. But the two issues are still pending.
Chantal Brett hopes that the research will make progress in treating post-infectious syndrome, “which needs to be known better,” she says. She adds, “We will face another pandemic, and we will remain helpless as well.”