Long Covid
Professor Steven Faux
Murdoch
Review: Lauren O’Connor-May
Nearly five years after the pandemic, the world is still feeling the after-effects of Covid-19’s long fingers.
In this medical book written for health professionals and laymen, Australian rehabilitation doctor Professor Steven Faux unpacks Long Covid – the chronic effects of the virus which linger long after someone has recovered from the initial disease. The book first explains what Long Covid is and it’s symptoms and then offers practical help for rehabilitation.
I suffered from a complete loss of smell when I had Covid and some of my smell sense has never fully recovered. According to the book, I am among 12.8% of people whose sense of smell has been compromised long-term by Covid. This was comforting because in my circle I had met no one else who could no longer smell certain things after having had Covid.
Other symptoms of Long Covid are extreme fatigue, breathlessness, insomnia, brain fog, headaches and palpitations.
According to the book, some of these symptoms have an economic impact too because people with brain fog or extreme fatigue can struggle to keep their jobs.
While the book has a bit of a doomy and gloomy feel, it also offers practical help for those who have Long Covid and has dedicated chapters on each symptom and how to manage it.
