The impact of long COVID-19 on already-strained hospital systems is significant, with patients who were adversely affected by the disease spending extended time in hospital and using emergency resources that are few and far between, according to a new study published Monday.
, particularly Ontario’s which is seeing ER closures, long-wait times and staff shortages across the board— the research indicates the more people there are with severe COVID-19 cases, the more stress an already buckling system will be under, said study co-author Dr. Clare Atzema in a phone interview with CTVNews.ca.“You put this in the context with the fall coming, and everyone’s masks are off.
However, it’s crucial for health care providers, funders and policy makers to understand the impact of long COVID on the health care system in order to allocate resources equitably now, and plan for the future, the researchers explain. Atzema said healthcare workers are beyond overwhelmed, as they are helping patients who often have multiple ailments, and the patients are receiving care in hallways.
“I know you don’t look that cool if you’re wearing one anymore but we’re going into that season with flu as well, and get vaccinated. We believe vaccination decreases your risk of long COVID,” she said.