Long Covid

Ian Lavery Excerpts

Thursday 14th January 2021 Commons Chamber

[Ian Lavery (Wansbeck) (Lab) [V]]

These are very worrying times indeed. I am worried as a Member of Parliament and people out there are extremely frightened about what is happening in this country at this moment in time. We saw a record 1,564 recorded deaths only yesterday. People are worried about what is happening and about what the challenges ahead might present. That includes the challenge of long covid, which, as we begin to learn more about it, appears to pose what can only be described as a serious threat—perhaps more so than we once believed—and it is a threat of which many people are still unaware.

The impact of long covid can be absolutely devastating. In the most serious instances, it can be totally debilitating. People can suffer extended periods of symptoms including: fatigue; breathlessness; anxiety; depression; palpitations; chest pains; joint or muscle pain; not being able to think straight or focus, which has been described as brain fog; and many others that have already been described. 

A number of my constituents have been in touch about experiences they have had with long covid. In one example, a 29 year-old man has been feeling the effects since way back in February. After numerous visits to the doctors and several false diagnoses, he was finally told he had long covid. Another example is a 26-year-old woman who as a result of long covid ended up having emergency bladder surgery and consequently developed a neurological disorder that has left her unable to mobilise without the use of a wheelchair since November. Both were young, otherwise healthy and worked in the care sector. As a result of having long covid, they have been unable to earn a proper income and show no signs of making a speedy recovery.

There is a failure of the social security system to recognise people suffering from long covid. There should be financial support for those who are unable to work, including a review of the paltry and mean statutory sick pay and of universal credit and the temporary £20 increase. We need to look after the people who have this debilitating disease. I fear that since the Government have failed to tackle successfully any other facet of this pandemic with any degree of competence, they will manage to fail in this as well.

I conclude by pleading for the Government to learn from their mistakes going forward in order to save lives and get the country back to some form of normality.