COVID-19: MULTI-ORGAN DAMAGE

In July the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that some 1 million people in the UK were suffering adverse symptoms more than 4 weeks after infection from COVID-19.  Over 850,000 for more than 12 weeks and nearly 400,000 more than a year. 

What’s termed ‘Long Covid’.  We are hearing more and more about people who continue to suffer for long periods.  The ‘Long Haulers’.  But why?

One reason is that if the virus gets into the blood, as it can as a result of long damage, it will spread around the body and attack other organs.  This academic paper titled Role of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) in COVID-19 explains that the virus "SARS-CoV-2 enters lung cells via the ACE2 receptor. The cell-free and macrophage-phagocytosed virus can spread to other organs and infect ACE2-expressing cells at local sites, causing multi-organ injury.”   Diagrammatically:

Organs that can be affected include the brain, and be one reason why many Long Haulers complain of 'brain fog', making it difficult to work.  Pains around the body too.

The number of people affected is far higher than are hospitalised.  Indeed the virus’s line of attack is not limited to the old and unhealthy, but the young and fit too.  That includes children.

Multi-organ damage is a key reason why COVID-19 is worse than flu, and why it is worth you taking basic precautions to avoid catching this hideous disease.  Not just vaccination.