People who have been seriously ill in hospital due to a coronavirus should be urgently screened for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), doctors say.
The Covid Trauma Response Working Group, led by University College London (UCL) and involving experts from the south-east of England, said those who had been in intensive care were most at risk.
Experts said regular exams should last at least a year.
More than 100,000 people were treated in hospital for the virus.
Experts say tens of thousands of them were sick enough to run the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder.
The task force highlighted research that found that 30% of patients with serious illnesses during epidemics of infectious disease in the past had developed PTSD, while depression and anxiety were also frequent.
‘It was like being in hell’
Tracy is just one of the many people who have suffered from the coronavirus experience.
She was admitted to Whittington Hospital in north London in March and spent more than three weeks there, including one in intensive care.
“It was like being in hell. I saw people die, people whose lives were taken for granted. The staff all wore masks and all you could see was eyes – it was so lonely and scary”.
Since she was released in April, this 59-year-old woman has had trouble sleeping because of the idea that she is going to die and she has suffered constant flashbacks.
She is now receiving advice.
“It was very difficult. Physically, I was very tired. I am starting to recover, but the mental side is very difficult to manage.
“I have a good support network, made up of family and friends, and I am a positive person – and I struggle. I think there will be many people who will be in a similar situation, or worse” .
Support available but variable
Dr. Michael Bloomfield, UCL psychiatrist, part of the Covid task force, said that patients who ended up in hospital will have experienced a “very scary and invasive” experience and that in addition long-term complications, they may be at risk of stress-related mental health problems.
He added that the unique nature of the pandemic, which keeps patients isolated from their families while in the hospital, could also make matters worse.
“We need to make sure that we support these patients. The services in place vary widely. Not doing more could have long-term consequences.”
A spokesperson for the NHS, the British health service, said it was clear that the pandemic had “changed lives”.
He said that all of the Covid survivors who stayed in the hospital will have a follow-up appointment with their general practitioner or the hospital team where their mental health will be assessed.
They were also able to refer themselves for psychological support, he added.
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