Study: Over Half of COVID-19 Patients Having Slow Recovery

A preliminary study of coronavirus patients has found that more than half of those who recovered from the disease still experienced general weakness and respiratory distress several weeks after the infection had passed.

Yerushalayim’s Shaarei Tzedek Medical Center tracked the progress of dozens of COVID-19 patients and found the symptoms persisting in over 50 percent.

“Within the symptoms that we checked for, we revealed general weakness among the majority of patients alongside shortness of breath, sustained cough and other complex breathing and pulmonary issues,” Prof. Gabriel Izbicki, director of the pulmonary institute, told The Jerusalem Post.

“The majority of patients are not back to the level and shape they were in before their hospitalization.”

Little is known about the aftereffects of the virus, as the bulk of research has been devoted to developing a vaccine or treatment for the seriously ill. Izbicki said the center’s special outpatient clinic is testing recovered coronavirus patients at three months and plans to re-test them at six months post-recovery as well.

“We welcome any Israel-based COVID-19 patients who have been treated and released either in a hospital or in a ‘coronavirus hotel’ to participate in the study,” Izbicki said.

“The earlier on in your post-treatment the better, so that we can best analyze these symptoms for the betterment of future patients.”

The number to call to participate in the study, in Yerushalayim, is 02-655-5999.