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People still affected by long Covid share their stories.

The World Health Organization鈥檚 (WHO) latest figures suggest that nearly 7 million people have died due to covid - although the true figure is likely to be much higher. While many more contracted the disease and avoided being seriously ill, one estimate suggests 65 million people have not fully recovered. These are the people with long covid, whose symptoms have persisted for more than six months after being infected.

This month, the WHO said Covid-19 is no longer a 鈥済lobal health emergency鈥, though it still poses a danger. Host James Reynolds hears from those who feel forgotten and misunderstood. Our guests join us from India, the UK and the United States, as they discuss what it鈥檚 like to live with the disease - especially the persistent fatigue.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not the same as if you take a nap you鈥檒l be recharged after,鈥 says Tracea Berger-Brown in the US. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like a battery that only charges to about 60% when it says 100% and then it drains very fast and you don鈥檛 know how long it will take to recharge each time.鈥

We also hear from family members about how it affects them to see their loved ones unable to resume a normal life. And three doctors, who work in South Africa and the UK, discuss the challenges of finding a treatment. One of them says he hasn鈥檛 been able to return to work since contracting the disease himself.

(Photo: Nayyar and his son Abdus in Delhi, India)

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23 minutes

Last on

Sun 21 May 2023 11:06GMT

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