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The long COVID doctors (Part 1 of 2)

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A group of doctors in full surgery scrubs gear are hugging in a circle
Doctors living with bizarre long term complications of coronavirus say 'long COVID' is real and serious(Getty/xavierarnau)

In October 2020, three UK doctors shared with us their devastating personal experiences of COVID-19's bizarre and disabling symptoms.

Months after they were initially infected, they were still grappling with 'long COVID' symptoms.

We're bringing you their stories again, because in Science Friction's next episode, Natasha follows up with each nearly a year on, as UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson controversially lifts all pandemic restrictions in England.

What they have to say about what's happened in their lives since will surprise and shock you.

A cautionary tale for Australia too as we grapple with a major outbreak of the coronavirus's Delta variant.

Long COVID doesn't discriminate. Healthy people. Young people. Those who apparently had a mild case of COVID-19.

Are we facing another pandemic ... this one silent, confusing, and harder to diagnose? Will vaccinations help?

Listen to part 2 here.Read a feature by Natasha Mitchell about the three doctors here.

Guests:

Dr Ian Frayling
@Doctor_IMF
Consulting genetic pathologist and medical practitioner
President, Association of Clinical Pathologists
St. Mark's Hospital, London and St. Vincent's Hospital in Dublin, Ireland
Wales, UK

Dr Nathalie MacDermott
Paediatric infectious diseases doctor
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children
NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer in Paediatrics (Infectious Diseases)
Kings College London
UK

Dr Amy Small
@amyismall
GP
Lothian
Edinburgh, Scotland

More information:

From Doctors as Patients: A manifesto for tackling persisting symptoms of COVID-19 (15 September 2020)

Why we need to keep using the patient made term 'Long Covid' (1 October 2020)

Body Politic COVID-19 Support Group

Long haulers are redefining COVID-19 (Ed Yong, The Atlantic, 2020)

Credits

Broadcast 
Health, Infectious Diseases (Other), Science and Technology, COVID-19
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