Long Covid: A New Challenge for Healthcare Systems and Family Medicine Practice

Abstract

Background: Everyday, Every day, doctors and individuals in the field of healthcare must make calculated decisions which have important consequences, impacting patients on the individual level, and communities. According to WHO data, it was believed that the COVID-19 disease had only two outcomes: recovery or death, with most patients recuperating within two weeks. Fatal cases were linked to respiratory system failure or multi-organ dysfunction with comorbid conditions. Intensive research commenced to understand the virus, pharmacological and non-pharmacological protective measures, and the development of vaccines. However, despite efforts by WHO, scientific research fell short of providing comprehensive answers to this global challenge. The disease persisted, evolving. Objective. This Editorial aims to explain and describe our own experiences with diagnostics and treatment of patients with symptoms of Long Covid in our survey during past times. Methods: We used a descriptive method based on facts about personal experiences in our polyclinic, also compared with other experiences explained in current scientific literature published and stored in indexed databases like PubMed Central, Hinary, Embnase etc. Results and Discussion: WHO declared the end of the pandemic, and epidemiological data indicate ongoing acute cases with a rising trend. Long-term symptoms have emerged, potentially causing even greater consequences for overall human health. Public media and healthcare systems have somewhat neglected these epidemiological data, failing to highlight the significant increase in diseases related to the chronic course of COVID-19. Long-term symptoms are not exclusive to COVID-19; they are observed in other viral diseases like viral hepatitis, Ebola, and Lyme disease. The well-known chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) can be a post-viral syndrome. Over 200 different symptoms associated with Long Covid have been reported. There are significant individual, gender, and racial differences in symptom presentation, making each patient's clinical manifestation unique. Diagnosing Long Covid is challenging due to its wide range of symptoms. Although numerous clinical studies have been conducted, there is still no definitive protocol for clinical practice. Physicians are forced to create their protocols for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment based on their acute phase experience. Unfortunately, there are no educational models to disseminate existing knowledge about Long Covid and raise awareness among the public about this significant global health problem. The diversity in clinical symptoms and etiopathogenetic factors necessitate different approaches for specific Long Covid syndromes and multiple clinical trials to develop prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies. Conclusion: Global, national, and local healthcare systems need to emphasise the importance of forming multidisciplinary teams and patient pathways based on existing Long Covid syndromes. Public health and family medicine associations play a crucial role in spreading accurate information about Long Covid incidence and manifestations, enabling patients to initiate timely preventive and therapeutic procedures..