Long-covid experience and perceptions among primary care practitioners in germany - results from a nation-wide online-survey 2022-2023
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1
Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin Germany
2
Robert Koch Institute Germany
3
Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of General Practice Germany
4
Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin EUPHA Germany
Publication date: 2023-04-26
Popul. Med. 2023;5(Supplement):A457
ABSTRACT
After the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a growing number of patients began to report prolonged COVID-19 symptoms lasting for more than four weeks after infection (Long COVID). These symptoms include among others, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, respiratory, cardiovascular, and metabolic issues, which cannot be explained by other causes. Persistence or reappearance of these symptoms often persist over more than three months. Lasting symptoms are diffuse and may vary depending on severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection, comorbidities, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status, gender, age or circulating virus strain, among others. Most of these patients are seen in primary care and this problem has been increasing. Because patients with Long COVID are not considered a source of infection to others, there is no mandatory reporting to public health authorities, making the surveillance and monitoring of this condition more difficult. Clinical management guidelines are being discussed and there is still a lack of a harmonized definition and a clear patient referral pathway. Adding to the direct pathophysiological effects of the SARS-CoV-2 infection, the indirect effects such as the consequences of the pandemic-containment-measures is also leading to a higher psychosocial and economic burden for these patients and the society. In many countries national public health authorities are working towards assessing Long COVID from multiple perspectives including building alliances and networks with different stakeholders including primary care providers, rehabilitation clinics and patients’ self-help groups.
This presentation is meant to share the results from the Germany about the experiences and expectations on the management of Long COVID including of the (expected and potential) impact on primary care, public health including how can risk factors, prevention, health care, management and rehabilitation be supported by informed based health policy amongst primary care physicians.