ISLANDERS suffering with Long Covid have been accessing a special clinic.

The Isle of Wight Long Covid Clinic was first announced by government at the start of the year.

There are 200 patients now accessing the service.

Patients are only permitted access once they have had symptoms for more than 12 weeks and have been referred through their GP.

In addition to GP referral, the St Mary’s Hospital Respiratory Service is also following up with people who have been admitted to the hospital with Covid-19.

Sarah Kearney, Long Covid service lead said: “We are delighted to be delivering this service on the Island five days a week, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.

"Accessibility to this service is important to us and we triage all GP referrals sent through.

"We are here to support those in need and urge anyone experiencing symptoms of Covid-19 for more than 12 weeks to contact their GP.”

There's no update on the waiting list time, but in the summer there was around a six to eight week wait.

What is long Covid?

The long-term effects of coronavirus are known as post-Covid-19 syndrome or, more commonly, 'Long Covid'.

For some people, Covid-19 can cause symptoms that last weeks or months after the infection has gone.

While many people feel better in a few days or weeks after contracting the virus, with most making a full recovery within 12 weeks, for some people symptoms can last longer.

The chances of having long-term symptoms does not seem to be linked to how ill you are when you first get coronavirus, and people who had mild symptoms at first can still have long-term problems.

What are the symptoms?

Common Long Covid symptoms include:

extreme tiredness (fatigue)

shortness of breath

chest pain or tightness

problems with memory and concentration ("brain fog")

difficulty sleeping (insomnia)

heart palpitations

dizziness

pins and needles

joint pain

depression and anxiety

tinnitus, earaches

feeling sick, diarrhoea, stomach aches, loss of appetite

a high temperature, cough, headaches, sore throat, changes to sense of smell or taste

rashes

Source: NHS.uk