HSE to begin first state survey of long covid on Tuesday

Up to now, the HSE has relied on international estimates that between 10% and 20% of covid-infected people develop longer-term symptoms. Picture: PA/ThinkStockPhotos

The first State survey of how many people in Ireland have long covid begins tomorrow, Tuesday The HSE plans to invite people from seven counties who had covid to take part.

Until now, it has not been clear how many people have or had the debilitating condition, which has been a source of great frustration to advocates pushing for supports.

This is phase one, with results expected in September. It may be extended to cover a wider area at a later date, a HSE spokeswoman said.

For now, the long covid follow-up after disease acquisition (Fada) survey is limited to people living in Longford, Westmeath, Laois, Offaly, Kildare, West Wicklow, and South Dublin, who will be invited by SMS text message to take part. The spokeswoman said: 

Invitations will issue on a rolling basis over a number of weeks from mid-March to mid-May. 

“We hope to use the information to help us to estimate how common long covid is in the community, ie the prevalence rate. It will also help us to understand how people who had covid-19 are feeling now.”

Up to now, the HSE has relied on international estimates showing that between 10% and 20% of infected people develop longer-term symptoms.

It defended the delays in setting up this survey as the third anniversary of the first cases of the virus comes around.

“It took time to develop a robust and reliable survey that will yield maximum value and potential,” said the spokeswoman. “The long covid model of care is in development and this survey will help inform this programme.”

She urged anyone invited to take part in the survey to click the link to take part, even if feeling well. She said: 

For us to understand this, it is important to know about people who feel fine today as well as those who are still feeling unwell.

Questions will include when the infection happened, the current state of people’s health, recovery time after covid-19, symptoms, and social or economic impacts.

A University College Cork study on people with long covid found the median reported time since the initial infection was 12 months.

More than two out of three people who took part in the UCC study continued to experience fatigue, post-exertional malaise, palpitations, chest pain, stomach upset/nausea, memory problems, muscle pain or joint pain.