There are calls for Government to help the over 7,000 people in Tipperary suffering with Long Covid.
Independent TD Michael Lowry says that 1,152 of those are experiencing debilitating health issues due to the illness, including a number of young people in the county.
He says that people are having to go abroad for treatment because there has been no effort to develop a specific mechanism to cater for long Covid here.
Deputy Lowry says this needs to be dealt with in the same fashion as the initial wave of Covid infections.
He told Tipp FM about one case in particular that has seen a 16 year old student in the county suffer serious health complications, leading to social isolation and mental health challenges.
“She was very bright and showed great promise as a student, she now misses at least three days every week and she struggles through pain relief on the days that she can attend. Her school work is badly suffering. Incredibly, to our shame, there is no service for young long covid patients here in Ireland at the moment. In that young girls case she is out of the loop in school, she cannot participate in school events any more, she hasn’t got the energy to meet with her friends , effectively she feels isolated, depressed and helpless.”
Michael Lowry has criticised the lack of acknowledgement around the seriousness of long covid and has put forward a motion to see the rollout of specialist services to support those who have failed to make a full recovery.
He says many people are travelling to other countries for treatment.
“Patients even in Tipperary have been forced to seek costly overseas treatment due to the lack of clear referral and treatment in Ireland…. People are being neglected in that regard, and of course you are hitting it at a time when we have chronic crisis situation in our medical care, so it is a serious issue.”
