Insights from the PHIRI Network: How different Countries deal with Long-COVID related issues and developments

Abstract

Abstract Long COVID research shows that on average, 10-20% of COVID-19 patients experience a variety of mid- to long-term effects after recovery from initial illness. This represents a serious issue for the healthcare sector and decision-makers and experts in the field. Against this backdrop the Population Health Information Research Infrastructure collaboration (PHIRI) established a Rapid Exchange Forum (REF). REF is a series of bi-weekly meetings addressing urgent questions in population health during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Participants are national representatives from over 30EU countries, ranging from European public health institutes, Ministries of Health to research institutions, universities, and EU-level stakeholders. In preparation, questions on a given topic are sent in a systematic manner, allowing rapid exchange of information across countries and provides comparative learnings on different challenges, best practices, and tools used to overcome population health issues (e.g., communication strategies, mortality indicators, long-term pandemic monitoring and surveillance, and pandemic impacts). REF on Long-COVID focused on 5 key aspects of Management of long-COVID Patients. Across 19 different EU/EEA countries information shows, for example, that by March 2023. 1) none of the 19 countries have stated to have a specific working registry for Long-COVID patients 2) few countries so far have developed specialised clinics or medical institutions for the treatment of Long-COVID but at least 3) most countries have adopted a wide range of different tools, strategies, and activities to create national guidelines and models for better management of Long-COVID Patients. This discusses these findings and will take stock of the Long-COVID-19 situation from a population health perspective. It will offer unique insights on the development of different tools, strategies and structures in national healthcare systems and their fight against long-COVID.