Many individuals continue to grapple with the long-term ⁤effects of COVID-19. These lingering symptoms, often referred to as “long COVID”⁤ or “persistent COVID,” can significantly impact daily life and the ability to work.

One such individual, Azmara ⁣Rodríguez Calleja, has been⁢ unable to work for over⁣ a year after⁣ contracting the omicron variant in late 2021. ⁣Initially experiencing mild symptoms, she now suffers from debilitating fatigue. Diagnosed with persistent COVID in the fall of 2024, she faces uncertainty regarding her future employment and potential ‍challenges with social security benefits.

Similarly, ⁣isabelle Delgado has been out of work for four years since contracting COVID-19 in February 2020. ⁣As a self-employed professional, she now relies on savings and struggles⁤ to leave her home. delgado is preparing for a ⁤legal battle to secure permanent disability⁣ benefits, a process often fraught with difficulties.

Estimates suggest that over 2 million peopel in Spain⁣ are affected by persistent COVID, representing approximately 6% to 7% of the population. These figures, derived ⁢from ‍a study published in Nature magazine, highlight the widespread impact of the condition. Women account for 70% of cases, and children⁢ represent 1%, though experts caution that underdiagnosis may skew these numbers.

Pilar Rodríguez Ledo, a physician and president of the Spanish Network of Persistent Covid Research, notes the lack of precise ‍data due to inconsistent⁢ diagnosis and ⁤coding practices. There are very few professionals who are diagnosing this disease and writng down the corresponding code in the history, she explains.

As the fifth anniversary of the pandemic approaches,patient groups and associations across Europe have launched the campaign⁢ In front of the persistent covid we are one, emphasizing⁢ the urgent ⁣need⁤ for ⁣research and treatment options.

Five years without clinical trials focused on⁣ treatments or a cure are too many. Society has decided to turn the page without being aware that the future includes an vital volume of the population that has not yet been able to recover health.

Access to specialized care remains limited, with only a handful of public hospitals offering dedicated treatment units.

Gender Bias in Consultation

many women with persistent COVID report experiencing gender bias in medical consultations, with professionals sometiems dismissing their⁣ symptoms as anxiety or mental health issues. Silvia Soler, of the Group of Affected‍ and Affected Persistent for Covid-19 of Catalonia, notes this tendency.

All these difficulties are joined by gender bias in medicine‍ that many of these women have ⁢lived in consultations. A bias that pushes professionals not to believe their testimonies or associate their physical ailments with mental health problems.

Soler recounts having to return to work multiple times, only to be forced back on leave ⁢due⁢ to her ⁣condition. She is currently‍ pursuing legal action ⁣against the‍ National Social Security ⁣Institute after her claim for permanent disability ‍was denied.

azmara ⁣Rodríguez Calleja echoes these concerns, stating that ‍her illness has ‍been questioned and attributed to stress. They begin to tell you that if you are well encouraged, if you are⁤ worried. One of the things I have is insomnia, I have the affected autonomic nervous system. They asked me if I had high levels of stress, she says.

Despite⁣ the lack of specific ⁢treatments, Pilar⁢ Rodríguez Ledo emphasizes the importance of managing symptoms and improving patients’ quality of life. There‍ are treatments to control the symptoms, that improve the quality of ⁢life of the patients, she advises. She also stresses the need for accurate patient registration and adherence to clinical guidelines to ensure proper care.