COVID-19

Quebecers speak out about long COVID at National Assembly

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

Five years ago, life on Earth seemed to stand still as a new disease spread from person to person and continent to continent. Hundreds of millions of people around the world contracted COVID-19 and millions died from it. Many people contracted it more than once, leading to a post-COVID-19 condition commonly known as “long COVID,” which as yet has no cure. The condition can lead to debilitating fatigue, breathing problems, cognitive struggles and other symptoms which persist for months or years after a COVID infection.

On March 15, several dozen people affected by the condition, doctors and supporters gathered in front of the National Assembly to mark Long COVID Awareness Day. They placed some 200 pillowcases with written testimonies from long COVID sufferers of varying ages and backgrounds on the sidewalk in front of the National Assembly building. Athletes have been forced to quit their sports and drop out of school. Adults have been forced to find less demanding employment. Parents have been forced to choose between caring for their family and keeping a job. Some patients have become handicapped, adding yet another challenge to their lives. These are only some of the devastating stories.

The World Health Organization, Health Canada and the Ministry of Health and Social Services remind Canadians that five years after the beginning of the pandemic, coronavirus is still infecting people, some of whom will develop long COVID. Although many long COVID patients appear healthy, they are more susceptible to contracting other infections, forcing them to self-isolate for long periods.

“Long COVID is invisible. [Patients] have chronic fatigue, difficulty concentrating and fogginess,” said Dr. Marie- Michelle Bellon, an internist and member of the board of directors of the Canadian COVID Society. As a doctor and a mother, she has observed patients with these symptoms daily since her son was diagnosed with the condition in July 2022, and her daughter is also showing symptoms.

Dr. Amir Khadir, a microbiologist and specialist in infectious diseases, shares Bellon’s concerns. “Since the 10 to 15 per cent of patients who develop COVID are affected to varying degrees, these numbers could misrepresent reality because the symptoms are wrongly attributed to other medical conditions … lifestyle and stress. Their condition can worsen, especially for those who are unaware of their diagnosis, overwork their health and infect others.

“Since the first diagnosed cases of COVID-19, governments have been doing re- search. It is important to continue because we have yet to find a cure for long COVID,” said Khadir, a former Québec solidaire MNA who returned to his Montreal medical practice after leaving politics in 2018. “Currently, we do not know the precise mechanism by which some people become infected with symptoms and remain ill, while others don’t. We need to do more research. To do that, we need the help and investment of the government. If we don’t invest in clinical research, we won’t be able to offer anything for years.”

On March 15, the Association québécoise de la COVID longue (Quebec Long COVID Association) officially established plans to eventually offer home care, psychological sup- port and a dedicated helpline, as announced in August 2024. For now, the association has a basic website and about 10 trained people working on the support line. It even has a ready-to-print two-page letter for elected officials, explaining everything from diagnosis to the current state of research to fundraising and awareness-raising suggestions. Members hope that if more voters bombard elected officials with these letters, they will be more inclined to invest in long COVID research and care.

For more information in English, visit longcovidtheanswers.com or covidsociety.ca.