Over 3,500 Offaly people have long Covid symptoms - poll finds

A major survey has found that over 3,500 people in Offaly are currently suffering from long Covid, with almost 600 admitting that the symptoms are having a “significant impact” on their daily lives.

The shock findings, which form part of the first exploratory survey of its kind to be conducted in Ireland, have prompted Independent TD, Denis Naughten, to declare that an epidemic of long Covid “could lead to the collapse of the health service.”

Deputy Naughten commissioned the survey, which was carried out in November by research company ‘Ireland Thinks’ and is based on feedback received from over 5,000 respondents. The overall results found that 230,000 people are currently experiencing long Covid symptoms in Ireland with 36,889 being impacted significantly in their daily activities by the symptoms they are experiencing.

“The reality is that such a large number of long COVID patients presenting to our hospitals with complex health conditions at a time when the system is already overwhelmed, could lead to the collapse of health service,” said Deputy Naughten.

“We cannot just sleepwalk into a crisis of chronic illness, which will push people waiting on treatments since before the pandemic even further down already horrendous waiting lists. We need to see this surge of long COVID patients managed with a co-ordinated response from Government” he added.

In light of the findings of the ‘Ireland Thinks’ poll, Deputy Naughten is calling for long Covid to be recognised as “an occupational hazard” for all frontline workers, and has urged the government to treat patients presenting with on-going symptoms with the same urgency as the initial wave of Covid infections.