In France, Helms knows better than almost anyone how intense the neurological impacts can be. We needed to delay her interview with the BBC after one of her Covid-19 patients – who was discharged from the hospital two months ago, but is still suffering from viral fatigue and severe depression – required urgent consultation for suicidal risk. And that patient is not unique – she has seen many people in similar states of distress.
“She is confused, she cannot walk, and she just wants to die, it’s really awful,” says Helms. “She’s only 60, but she has said to me ‘Covid has killed me’ – meaning it has killed her brain. She just doesn’t want anything more in life.
“This has been especially difficult because we don’t know how to prevent this damage in the first place. We just don’t have any treatments that will prevent any damage to the brain.”
Patients experiencing lung failure can be put on a respirator, and kidneys can be rescued with a dialysis machine – and, with some luck, both organs will bounce back. But there is no dialysis machine for the brain.
--
As an award-winning science site, BBC Future is committed to bringing you evidence-based analysis and myth-busting stories around the new coronavirus. You can read more of our Covid-19 coverage here.
--
Join one million Future fans by liking us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter or Instagram.
If you liked this story, sign up for the weekly bbc.com features newsletter, called “The Essential List”. A handpicked selection of stories from BBC Future, Culture, Worklife, and Travel, delivered to your inbox every Friday.
"term" - Google News
June 23, 2020 at 07:02AM
https://ift.tt/3fNuUa5
The long-term effects of Covid-19 infection - BBC News
"term" - Google News
https://ift.tt/35lXs52
https://ift.tt/2L1ho5r
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "The long-term effects of Covid-19 infection - BBC News"
Post a Comment