The long-term effects of Covid-19 are not being studied in Malta, health superintendent Charmaine Gauci told The Malta Independent.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many governments abroad are studying the effects Covid-19 has had on people after they recover.

The effects of the symptoms of the virus can last weeks and months after a patient has tested negative for the virus. Usually, people who suffer from these long term symptoms have, in theory, suffered the worst the virus has to give.

In a study conducted by the American Medical Association, 10% of all the people who contracted Covid-19 have suffered from these long haul symptoms. Patients have suffered from permanent loss of taste, respiratory symptoms and other virus related health issues.

According to this study, the theory as to why people keep experiencing Covid-19 symptoms even after testing negative is due to two possibilities. The first possibility is that the virus remains in the body of the patient in a very small form where it is undetectable. The second theory is that the human body keeps over reacting to the trauma it went through, therefore the immune system is in a constant loop of defending itself.

This newsroom contacted The Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci in order to see if studies like this are being carried out in Malta.

Gauci confirmed that these specific studies are not being conducted in Malta, but said that at the University of Malta, antibody tests are being carried out on people who had Covid-19 and have recovered from it. This is mainly being done to document how certain people’s immune systems have developed a safeguard for Covid-19. Not everyone who had the virus will become ‘immune’ to the virus and that is what the University of Malta is studying, Gauci said.

Gauci then appealed to anyone who is experiencing long term symptoms such as a cough which is becoming worse, lack of taste, constant fatigue and so on to contact their family doctor in order to follow up and suggest a possible course of action.

Many questions are raised as to whether these long term symptoms are permanent. Although there is not a lot of research on these symptoms due to the infancy stage of these effects, many experts agree that although it may take time, these effects will not be permanent.

People who are experiencing long term symptoms should contact their family doctor in order to receive guidance on the vaccine.