A Kent State assistant professor’s research study on post-intensive care syndrome has linked family caregivers of intensive care unit patients as the unidentified population who suffer from unanticipated psychological symptoms.

“Long Covid” is a condition currently affecting approximately 60,000 people in the UK – and which will inevitably continue to rise as we move through the pandemic – that is characterised by a variety of physiological and psychological issues. These can include fatigue, breathlessness, cognitive blunting (“brain fog”) and pain, and can require practical, medical and emotional support similar to that already offered by employers for conditions such as cancer, ME and diabetes.

Harris is one of an ever-growing population of COVID-19 survivors who, months later, are still living with the aftermath of their infections. Some have lingering lung damage or must rebuild muscles that became weak after they spent weeks on a ventilator. Others were not even hospitalized, yet still struggle with fatigue, heart palpitations, brain fog or other lingering symptoms.