Post-COVID Syndrome in Healthcare Workers

AIM: Some of the patients with COVID-19 disease have persistent symptoms and there is limited information about the long-term health consequences of those who have recovered. The aim of this study is to investigate persistent symptoms of health care workers after COVID-19 disease and the relationship with demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients. METHOD: Healthcare workers who had symptomatic COVID-19 disease proven by RT-PCR and were diagnosed at least 12 weeks ago were included in the study. Demographic characteristics, comorbidities, symptoms at time of diagnosis and symptoms that persisted more than 3 weeks were examined in detail with a conducted questionnaire. RESULTS: Of 121 patients included in the study, the mean age was 33.5 (22-59) and the mean time since participants were diagnosed with COVID-19 disease was 30.3 weeks (12.7-56.9). 92% (n=112) of the participants were followed up as outpatients. 63.6% (n=77) of our patients had symptoms lasting more than 3 weeks and the most common symptom were fatigue , loss of smell and attention deficit/concentration disorder. 19 of 77 patients (24.6%) stated that their persistent symptoms lasted longer than 24 weeks, with the most common symptoms being loss of smell. CONCLUSION: All these findings show that even in young patients with mild and moderate COVID-19 infection, post-COVID symptoms are at a rate that will affect their quality of life and health services should be planned for the rehabilitation of these patients. WHAT’S KNOWN? The initial symptoms and clinical course of COVID-19 are well known, but information about the long-term follow-up post-COVİD symptoms, especially in mild and moderate patients, is limited. WHAT’S NEW? Our study contributes to the literature on the frequency of long-term symptoms at 3 months and 6 months in most young patients with mild COVID-19.It also provides data on the situation of post-COVID syndrome in Turkey.