Motion: Long Covid
13.2 Long Covid
Hackney Council notes:
As of 1 May this year, Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal that two million people living in private households in the UK – or 3.1% of the population – reported they were still experiencing Covid symptoms more than four weeks after their first suspected coronavirus infection.
About two in five of those with long Covid, or 826,000 people, noted that infection was at least a year ago while one in five, or 376,000 people, said it was at least two years ago. In addition, 71% of those with Long Covid said their symptoms had a negative impact on their day-to-day activities, with 20% saying their ability to undertake such activities had been “limited a lot”.
As a proportion of the UK population, the prevalence of self-reported long Covid was greatest in people aged 35 to 69 years, females, people living in more deprived areas, those working in social care, teaching and education or health care, and those with another activity-limiting health condition or disability,” the ONS added.
At present it is not clear what causes Long Covid, but it can be the result of the initial infection sends some people's immune systems into overdrive, meaning they attack not just the virus but their own organs.
NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence) describes Long Covid as “signs and symptoms that continue or develop after acute Covid-19”. This definition includes both ongoing symptomatic Covid-19 and post Covid-19 syndrome. Therefore, according to this definition, Long Covid starts from four weeks onwards.
Long Covid symptoms are plentiful, and more are being seen as related to Covid 19 infection.
At a local level Hackney Council celebrates the Post Covid Specialist Assessment Clinic and The Covid Rehabilitation (CoRe) service provided by Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, including the work of respiratory consultants Professor Karalasingam Rajakulasingam and Dr Santino Capocci.
Hackney Council will continue to highlight the needs and support our school children experiencing long Covid symptoms and issue guidance when available from the government to schools and educational settings on the many pupils living with Long Covid, and support for them.
Hackney Council therefore resolves to:
Work with our health partner organisations to ensure that support for those experiencing Long Covid is a central part of the next City and Hackney Long Term Conditions Strategy.
Recommend to the Head of the Paid Service that the Council's employment policies and procedures be reviewed to ensure that those with Long Covid symptoms are supported.
Consider the key recommendations of the Long Covid publication by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus.
Proposer Cllr Anna Lynch; Seconder: Cllr Anya Sizer
Decision:
RESOLVED:
1. That in accordance with Procedure Rule 16.4 of the Council’s Constitution that this motion, which was not debated stand referred without discussion, to the next ordinary meeting of Full Council on 14 September 2022.
2. That this motion will be the first motion to be debated at the next ordinary Full Council meeting.