Post-Covid-19 syndrome – a new challenge with an unknown end

Abstract

The long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection (or the so-called post - COVID - 19 syndrome) have a lasting physical, psycho-social and socio-iconic impact on survivors and their relatives and especially among some specific work groups (e.g. health workers).  Concomittant chronic diseases (obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and respiratory disorders) also affect patients' ability to work and their return to work. Globally, between 30% and 50% of those infected with COVID-19 experience long-term symptoms of COVID (long Covid, LC), with over 85% of patients of working age. Various author collectives report that symptoms of long-term COVID (a total of 203 of which the most frequent are dyspnea on exertion and at rest, fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, asthenia, arthralgias and myalgias, sleep disorders, cough), which can last up to 9 and more months after an infection, hinder and delay the return to work (RTW), reduce the patients' ability to work, force them to return to work with restrictions (reduced working hours, changed duties at the workplace, etc.), to change their job or lose it. Returning to work after a post-critical illness is often delayed or does not occur at all, causing an impact on the overall quality of life among survivors and their families (the so-called "family syndrome"). Some patients (especially those who have had severe COVID or have been hospitalized in an intensive care unit) are forced to take periodic sick leave and delay their return to work for at least 5 weeks from the onset of symptoms of COVID-19, such as the main cause is fatigue or weakness. Social functioning was assessed as impaired, as up to 90% of survivors did not reach their functional level 6 months after intensive care unit (ICU) discharge. Differences in return to work are based on mean age of patients (better outcomes are seen in younger patients), country (presenteeism is common in China, where the best RTW outcomes have been reported) and social policy (not all US employees are entitled to paid sick leave). A large proportion of patients (up to 64.4%) reported moderate to severe financial difficulties and an inability to cover the costs of research or treatment. Some authors recommend specific rehabilitation for patients after acute COVID-19 to restore physical and neuropsychological performance and to improve performance. Patients have better outcomes following an integrative health approach that combines traditional medical treatment, non-pharmacological treatments including physical therapy, and behavioral and lifestyle changes.