COVID-19: NHS to launch Long COVID services for children | UK News

NHS launches Long COVID services for children, as concerns grow over the number of young people with long-term symptoms.

Fifteen pediatric hubs will be created in the UK, bringing together experts on symptoms such as breathing problems and fatigue.

They will treat young people, advise family physicians or other caregivers, or refer patients to other specialist services and clinics.

More than a million people have reported suffering from symptoms for weeks or even months after becoming infected with the virus and hundreds of thousands of them are expected to need support.

About a third of those with the condition said the symptoms – which include extreme fatigue, breathing problems and “brain fog” – have a significant impact on their daily lives.

While children are less likely to suffer from a serious illness, data from the Office for National Statistics suggests that 7.4% of children ages two to 11 and 8.2% of those ages 12 to 16 years of age report persistent symptoms.

NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens is expected to announce the children’s centers later today.

He will say: ‘The NHS has worked hard to treat 400,000 COVID patients requiring inpatient treatment and maintain essential services in successive waves and now we must step up measures to deal with the legacy.

“One of the main health issues emerging from the pandemic is Long COVID with hundreds of thousands of people expected to suffer from debilitating health issues such as breathing problems and fatigue.

“This is why the NHS will now invest £ 100million in specialist services, including care for children and young people so parents know that advice is available through the new hubs to provide patients and their families the help, support and care that they need.

“This is just the latest example of how NHS staff have gone out of their way to provide care to those in need throughout this terrible pandemic.”

There is already a network of …