Youngsters and adults with Lengthy Covid yesterday bravely informed of their ache and struggling as they demanded pressing motion from the Scottish Authorities.
One Lengthy Covid affected person Calum O’Dwyer informed how he has to take a conveyable mattress with him wherever he goes as a result of his situation is exacerbated by being upright, both sitting or standing, for any size of time.
And a clutch of youngsters heartbreakingly informed of how the sickness had wrecked their little lives.
Addressing a press convention hosted by Labour’s well being spokeswoman Jackie Baillie they begged to be taken severely and provided extra assist.
At the moment 155,000 Scots are struggling with Lengthy Covid, a few of whom have been affected for greater than two years, with numbers rising.
Baillie identified the Scottish Authorities’s £10 million announcement for Lengthy Covid over three years was the equal to simply £19 per affected person per yr which is “frankly insufficient”.
Baillie mentioned she had known as the press convention “due to the anger of members of the cross social gathering group following the Lengthy Covid debate in parliament and the evident lack of awareness on the motion coming from the Scottish Authorities.”
The Lengthy Covid Scotland Group and Lengthy Covid Youngsters agreed pointing our prolonged ready lists for specialists and providers whereas docs gave testimony of different actions which might be taken for analysis of problems but it surely was the proof of these with “lived expertise” which actually drove the agenda.
Calum, 30, was an engineer earlier than contracting Covid in March 2020 and whereas the preliminary signs of the virus didn't seem too critical, 5 weeks later he felt he had been “hit by a bus”.
He suffered muscle weak spot, fatigue, mind fog and couldn’t even wash dishes as a result of he couldn’t elevate them.
He needed to transfer again dwelling together with his mother and father and two years later he's experiencing points together with his coronary heart, lungs, abdomen, mind and nervous system.
He has needed to swap careers and since his fatigue is exacerbated by sitting or standing he says he carries “a timer in my head” so he is aware of when to lie down.
Calum took his moveable mattress to Parliament with him and , near tears, mentioned with out it he can be confined to his mother and father’ home.
However he mentioned each time he visited his GP he was repeatedly informed there was no remedy.
He mentioned: “What the federal government is doing is just not sufficient. It's like they've a examine field which must be ticked off.”
And he mentioned the Scottish Authorities ought to have the “ambition” to steer on analysis into lengthy covid.
9-year-old Anna, filmed at dwelling whereas mendacity below a blanket on her couch, mentioned: “I don’t really feel very properly day-after-day. I get complications and tummy aches, consistently feeling sizzling or chilly.
“My ft get so sore and I can’t stroll.
“I like my wheelchair however I really feel everyone seems to be taking a look at me.
“I'm so drained. I've 5 per cent vitality day-after-day, I can’t actually do something.
“I’d actually like t get again on a horse. I’m actually fed up of feeling like this.”
Abi, 16, solely managed to say her personal title however her mum learn her assertion: “I received Covid in September final yr and I'm too exhausted to speak.
“My major signs are excessive fatigue and mind fog. Earlier than I received Covid I used to be very good and cherished to sing and play the piano and hang around with my mates.
“Now I can’t do easy maths. I can solely watch simpleTV.
“I've misplaced virtually all my independence and my skill to do issues I take pleasure in.
“It appears no-one is aware of how you can assist me and I want I had magic tablet to make all of it go away.”
Liz, 16, in the meantime identified Lengthy Covid “is just not a psychological sickness”.
She contracted Covid in March 2020 and has needed to cease going to high school.
She mentioned: “I can’t have lengthy conversations with my mates with out it tiring me out. I've seen my mates about 4 occasions in two years.
“I've to make use of a wheelchair to get about however I don’t get out actually because I get drained simply going up the road and again.
“I don’t select to be in a wheelchair for the enjoyable of it. I might fairly be with my mates.
“The federal government must be loads clearer about what Lengthy Covid is. They should make extra assets obtainable.”
The press convention additionally heard that simply 66 per cent of individuals with Lengthy Covid stay in employment and there have been additionally requires higher monetary assist for these with the situation in addition to higher assist for kids who should be away from the classroom.
Joint chair of the cross social gathering Lengthy Covid Committee, Alex Cole Hamilton, mentioned the Scottish Authorities had a “manifest disinterest” in Lengthy Covid.
And he mentioned: “Lengthy Covid is the largest mass incapacity even because the First World Conflict however in Scotland we're nowhere.
“The Scottish Authorities is spending extra on a referendum into independence than they're on Lengthy Covid and that’s an insult.”
The Scottish Authorities mentioned there is no such thing as a “one size-fits all” strategy to tackling lengthy Covid as a result of vary of signs.
A spokesperson mentioned: “We've got established an extended Covid Strategic community bringing collectively medical consultants, NHS Boards, third sector organisations together with Chest Coronary heart and Stroke Scotland and people with lived expertise to information how we plan and design care and guarantee our £10 million Lengthy Covid Assist Fund is focused on the areas the place further assist could make the largest distinction.
“The primary tranche of lengthy Covid funding was introduced final month and can allow NHS Boards to proceed to develop and ship the most effective fashions of care acceptable for his or her native inhabitants’s wants, this will embody an extended Covid clinic if acceptable.”
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