Over 1 million people in total have self-reported symptoms of Long Covid in most recent statistics

The latest data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) published on 4 June shows that over one million people in private households throughout the UK are self-reporting symptoms of Long Covid.

Covering the four-week period ending 2 May, the statistics show that of the total number of people recording Long Covid symptoms, 85% (869,000) first had (or suspected they had) Covid-19 at least 12 weeks previously, while 37% (376,000) first had the virus, or suspected they had the virus, at least 12 months previously.

The latest ONS figures show a significant rise in the number of people self-reporting Long Covid symptoms since early April, which detailed that 70,000 people self-report symptoms who first had (or suspected they had) Covid-19 one year previously.

For those self-reporting Long Covid symptoms, 192,000 said that these symptoms reduced their ability to carry out daily-to-say tasks ‘a lot', while 459,000 said it as reduced it ‘a little'.

Symptoms of Long Covid were most reported among those aged 50-69, women, within the North West region of England, working within the healthcare and social sectors.

Fatigue was the most commonly reported symptom (54%), followed by breathing difficulties (40%), muscle aches (31%) and difficulty concentrating or ‘brain fog' (28%).

"The fluctuating multi-symptom nature makes it very difficult for individuals to manage as a wide range of different help is needed which is not readily available from an already stretched NHS and a shortage of Long Covid specialist centres," Christine Husbands, managing director at RedArc, told COVER.

"Insurers and employers are in a position to help their customers/employees through support services available to them. A personalised holistic service catering for the wide-ranging fluctuating symptoms is ideal rather than a piecemeal approach of different services for different needs that the individual needs to navigate themselves at a time when they are least able to."

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