Listen to Long Covid Groups closing submission delivered by KC Anthony Metzer. 12/12/23
My Lady, I appear with Sangeetha Ienger and Shanthi Sivakumaran
Instructed by Jane Ryan of Bhatt Murphy
@Jane_Ryan_ @BhattMurphy @covidinquiryuk
#LongCovid #LongCovidKids #CovidInquiry
You heard from our client @SammieFMc during the impact films. In her statement, she said: “it has been extremely distressing to watch my child who had been previously completely healthy, happy and dancing around being unable to move and full of self-doubt. It was like watching
my child fade away – she is no longer the child she was.”
The LCG's have sought to understand how & why there was an inexplicable delay in the @GOVUK recognition of #LongCovid, when longer-term sequelae were foreseeable/ well-established from SARS and MERS.
#LongCovidKids
The evidence overall, including that from Mr Johnson’s own witness statement, makes plain that Long Covid was an inconvenient truth that Mr Johnson chose to ignore. This choice caused great harm and immeasurable suffering.
#LongCovid #CovidInquiry @Jane_Ryan_
Put plainly, Long Covid was not considered in the decisions taken in response to the pandemic.
Is it not simple common sense that long term harm from a virus is relevant to how a pandemic is managed?
#LongCovidKids #LongCovid
#CovidInquiry
The PM wanted to be the Mayor of Jaws and was actively trying to keep the beaches open while delaying the decision to take a second lockdown. He entertained strategies where he thought by keeping the known vulnerable off the beaches, the rest of the population could go out to sea
There are at least 62,000 #children with #LongCovid. Mr Johnson called schools ‘reservoirs of risk.’ In May 21, there was agreement between DHSC, PHE, NHS & DfE that messaging in schools should signpost for any child experiencing long-term symptoms following a Covid 19 infection.
The PM did not mention #LongCovid once. We now understand that there was no @GOVUK communications strategy for Long Covid. This left people believing that if they were otherwise healthy, they would recover quickly when they fell sick, as they had been reassured would be the case
@GOVUK @CMO_England admitted it would have been helpful to acknowledge #LongCovid earlier. The overwhelming picture is that people were not warned that they were all, including previously fit, healthy, active people, indiscriminately at risk of suffering from long-term ill-health.
Looking forward, we hope that this Inquiry will make findings and recommendations that will ensure that we are better prepared to respond to pandemics; it is simple common sense that long term harm from a virus must be a relevant consideration for Government to protect the public
These recommendations are equally relevant today; the pandemic endures yet #LongCovid is no longer being counted or reported on
These 4 categories of recommendations wd ensure that the avoidable on-going suffering of nearly 2 M adults & children in this country, is never repeated
COVID-19 INQUIRY MODULE 2
CLOSING SUBMISSIONS OF THE LONG COVID GROUPS 13 December 2023
#LongCovidKids
@long_covid
@LongCovidSOS
@LongCOVIDPhysio
#LongCovid
#CovidInquiry
@Jane_Ryan_ @BhattMurphy
Three years ago while #LongCovid was being denied and ignored, despite available evidence @LongCovidKids families came together to make this made this awareness video advocating for CYP injured by #COVID.
3 years on, children are still sick.
#LongCovidRuinsLives #LongCovidKids
Listening to the witnesses at the @covidinquiryuk today has been extremely difficult, upsetting and traumatic for families.
We are distraught that the experiences of our children who both endured the pandemic and were injured by the virus, are not being heard. The inquiry
'listening' project WILL NOT hear directly from CYP with #LongCovid. Less than 20 children will be interviewed as part of a research project. Their experiences will analysed and shared alongside the experiences of a larger number of children who endured the pandemic. We feel
1/3 These are the words children use to describe their #LongCovid experience.
Friday is #LongCovid day at @covidinquiryuk
@LongCovidSOS Co-founder @selkieO
will give evidence on behalf of the Long Covid Groups.
We can't do this alone, we need your support.
#StrongerTogether
2/3 Their words remind us why we are part of the @covidinquiryuk
Join Us.
✅0915> @ Dorland House, 121 Westbourne Terrace London, W2 6BU
✅0800> online to support as we ask the @covidinquiryuk to #listen, #learn & give children & families #Hope
#ListenLearnHope
#GiveUsHope
3/3 The words of the young people injured by #COVID keep us focused on why we are part of the @covidinquiryuk
“These figures are extremely concerning. Children rarely get ill, so a disease affecting 2% of young children to a level that it’s causing restriction of day-to-day activity is a huge public health problem.”
@dgurdasani1
“In the absence of vaccination, prior infection remains the only means by which children can, ironically, become immune, and evidence shows that ensuing protection is highly variable and often insufficient….
…This, combined with low vaccine rates & a lack of mitigations, condemns kids to multiple reinfections that may lead to both #LongCovd & other forms of morbidity, as well as a proportion experiencing severe acute disease on breakthrough, w some sadly succumbing.” @SGriffin_Lab
🧵 “We now need to explore whether the lack of implementation is due to a lack of commissioning of services, or whether it represents centres choosing not to follow the guidance & use alternative strategies without evidence base.” @DocStrain
“It is important that decisive action is taken to address these issues and ensure that #MECFS patients receive the appropriate care they deserve, @SonyaChowdhury @actionforme
With > 2 million people living with Long Covid, and > 50% said to meet the criteria for #MECFS and therefore @NICEComms guidelines communities must stand together to ensure safe rehabilitation & care.
🧵 “researchers say they’ve come up with a list of 12 symptoms that can reliably classify someone as having Long Covid a working definition that should accelerate research into the disabling condition.” #LongCovid@CNN amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/05/25…
Postexertional malaise, or the worsening of health after mental or physical activity
• Fatigue
• Brain fog
• Dizziness Gastrointestinal symptoms
• Heart palpitations
• Changes in sexual desire or capacity
• Loss of or change in smell or taste
• Thirst
• Chronic cough
• Chest pain
• Abnormal movements
“although most people in the study who met the definition of #MECFS also met the definition of #LongCovid the converse wasn’t necessarily true. Among people who met the definition of LC only about 10% to 20% would have also met the definition
With the support of experts, scientists, paediatricians, doctors, nurses, researchers, advocates, occupational therapists, physiotherapists teachers & educational psychologists our team of volunteers created a guidebook to raise awareness & educate.