RADFORD, Va. (WDBJ) -The phenomena called a COVID long hauler is what health officials are calling people who survive the coronavirus but can’t quite seem to shake the effects of the illness.
District Epidemiologist Jason Deese from the New River Health District said cases of continuing symptoms are quite rare, especially among young people.
We have an update on one Radford University student who continues to fight those lasting effects that we first introduced you to in November.
Emily Clemente just turned 26 years old last week We first interviewed her after she spent almost two weeks in the hospital. She has an underlying condition of asthma.
“Trying to adjust back to normal life has been more difficult than I think people realize,” Clemente said.
Overall, she says she is okay. Clemente is no longer symptomatic but has other issues now.
“My lung capacity is not back to normal yet, so I get very out of breath very easily,” she said.
Clemente said that condition plus being chronically fatigued and debilitating joint pain in her ankles and hips has become too much.
“It used to be about one day a week it would keep me in bed and then over the last month or so it’s been up to four to five days out of the week where it’s been very bad,” she said.
All her lasting effects have caused her to take a leave of absence from work and drop two classes at Radford University.
“I needed to focus more on physically healing and it was too much,” Clemente said. “I notice that the walk from the parking lot which is directly across the street from where I’d work, I would walk inside and have to take the elevators because I was just so out of breath.”
“Although the vast majority of people are going to be just fine there are a few people that actually do have more serious consequences from the illness,” Deese said.
Deese said we don’t know everything about COVID long haulers, but it’s still possible for younger people to have lingering effects of the virus.
“With the odds that you’ll probably be just fine, you’ll probably recover in a few days there is that slim chance that you could end up having lasting symptoms,” Deese said.
Clemente said if she could redo the day that she decided to go to a birthday gathering she would rethink that decision.
“Knowing that it was going to have this much of an impact I would have told myself to stick out the social distancing, stick out the social isolation just a little bit longer,” she said. “I think if I had just told myself it’s not going to be that time in the hospital, it’s going to be months of recovery, just stay inside I definitely would have probably done it.”
Deese said common symptoms of long haulers include: fatigue, headaches, joint pain, loss of taste or smell. More rarely, Deese said organs like your heart and kidneys could all be impacted. Right now all of this is under study to see who is impacted by the more severe symptoms which are typically very rare.
Clemente said for people in her shoes it is important to just find some grace and be patient with yourself as your recovery will take longer.
“Don’t push yourself, don’t feel guilty for not being able to jump back and do all of the things you did before,” she said. “Take time, go easy on yourself.”
Deese said one of the best ways to prevent this from happening to you is to continue following public health guidance of washing your hands, wearing your mask and staying physically distanced. This can help you to avoid getting the virus in the first place.
Clemente said one thing that has helped her is online COVID support groups on Facebook. She is thinking about starting one locally to help others going through what she is experiencing as she said the mental impact is just as taxing as the physical piece of the disease.
Copyright 2021 WDBJ. All rights reserved.
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RU student continues to fight lasting COVID symptoms months after being diagnosed - WDBJ
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