merelygifted:

A third of patients with long COVID in a new Cambridge study said they lost their jobs because of the condition

Nearly two-thirds of people with long-term effects from COVID-19 experience problems with concentration and memory, according to a new study from Cambridge University.

In a study of 181 patients with what’s often called long COVID – most of whom had been infected at least six months before the research began – 78% reported difficulty concentrating, 69% reported brain fog (described as sluggish or “fuzzy” thinking) – 68% reported forgetfulness and 60% reported problems finding the right word in speech.

Though their symptoms were self-reported, the claims aligned with significantly lower scores in cognitive tests.

“This is important evidence that when people say they’re having cognitive difficulties post-COVID, these are not necessarily the result of anxiety or depression,” co-author Muzaffer Kaser, a psychiatrist, said in a March release. “The effects are measurable – something concerning is happening.”

Half of the patients reported difficulties in getting their symptoms taken seriously, according to a release from the school, suggesting the medical community doesn’t take cognitive issues as seriously as lung problems, fatigue or other symptoms.

According to the research, published in two studies in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, more than half of the study’s participants have been unable to work for extended periods of time and a third said they lost their jobs due to their illness.  …