Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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1079. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the work and research his Department has been conducting into long-Covid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22203/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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There is emerging evidence of longer-term effects of infection with Sars-CoV-2. An evidence synthesis published by HSE Library in Oct 2020 describes similar symptomatology across the range of observational studies to those noted in the more recent studies. A wide range of symptoms have been described ranging across multiple body organs and systems, with causes as yet unknown. The symptom complex is variable, can be isolated to a single system/organ or multiple systems/organs and are similar to the ranges of symptoms described in other post-viral and Chronic Fatigue Syndromes.

The HSE has advised that clinical management is currently based on symptomatology and includes pulmonary rehabilitation, physiotherapy (particularly for deconditioned older people), symptomatic management of shortness of breath, and beta blockers for tachycardia.

A support group, was set up in June 2020 and consists of more than 1800 members. This group is engaging constructively with HSE.

As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.