Long Covid in Catalonia could be under-diagnosed, says new report

A new report estimates the prevalence of people affected by long Covid in Catalonia, reviews the available healthcare resources, and proposes a series of actions with the aim of facilitating access to health care for those who need it. The document was prepared by the Scientific Advisory Committee on COVID-19 (CCAC) and the Multidisciplinary Collaborative Group on COVID-19 (GCMSC), which brings together experts from different disciplines and institutions, including ISGlobal. The report includes the opinion and proposals of long Covid patients.

A public health problem

Long Covid is defined as the continuation or development of new symptoms three months after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, lasting at least two months and which cannot be explained by other causes.

"There is consensus that long Covid represents a considerable public health problem, but most countries, including ours, lack a nationally coordinated response to measure and manage this burden," explains Silvia de Sanjosé, ISGlobal researcher and coordinator of the report together with Antoni Sisó, from the Primary Healthcare Consortium in Barcelona (CAPSBE), and Magda Campins, from Hospital Vall d'Hebron Research Institute.

Current situation of long Covid in Catalonia

According to the prevalence data reported in the scientific literature and the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections in Catalonia, between 48,000 and 72,000 people are expected to suffer - or have suffered – from some of the most severe forms of long Covid. However, there are only about 14,000 people registered with this pathology in the health information systems in Catalonia, a figure several times lower than expected.

"This means that we are most likely facing an under-diagnosis of this syndrome," says Sisó. Unfamiliarity with the disease and the heterogeneity of clinical symptoms are part of the problem. The report highlights a territorial inequality in terms of Covid care centres and protocols, and recommends expanding these protocols to the whole territory.  

Open questions 

The report also includes a review on what is -and what is not- known about long Covid, as well as the ongoing clinical trials to find effective treatments. The experts stress that the best strategy to prevent long Covid is getting vaccinated in the first place.

Recommendations to improve care for affected patients

After reviewing what other countries have done to address the challenge, the report recognises the strong involvement of the Catalan health system in the response, and the need to maintain and raise awareness of the condition at all levels.

It proposes ten actions to better measure and manage long Covid, including: strengthening the role of primary care, adopting a holistic approach through multidisciplinary teams, standardising visits and tests, improving the training of all professionals involved, and listening to patients’ needs.

Download the report: Situació actual de la COVID-19 persistent a Catalunya (catalan)