'Simple tasks have become exhausting': The Covid symptoms that just won't go away

Hundreds of Hawke's Bay people are struggling to bounce back after having Covid-19, health experts say.

Support is now at hand for those people still suffering with shortness of breath, chest pain and palpitations and associated anxiety after the two waves of Omicron that swept through the region and country this year.

Fatigue has left "many" in Hawke's Bay who caught Covid-19 feeling overwhelmed and frustrated, experts say. Now the region has set up support for those suffering. Photo / NZME

Kate Te Pou, a nurse practitioner at regional health arm Te Whatu Ora Te Matau a Māui (formerly Hawke's Bay District Health Board), is part of the Covid Community Outreach Service, which provides support to patients when further assessment is needed.

"Some people are struggling to concentrate at work due to brain fog or suffering from fatigue that sends them back to bed for an afternoon nap and despite napping they never feel refreshed or recovered," she says.

Not just physical activity triggers fatigue. Thinking and emotions also trigger it, so an enjoyable afternoon with whānau could also tire someone, she says.

"Fatigue is leaving many people feeling overwhelmed and frustrated as most had previously been able to do their daily activities, work or even attend the gym, without concern," she says. "Now simple tasks have become exhausting."

Outreach patients are referred by doctors and then assessed to determine if they need to see a nurse practitioner, an allied health professional or another service for either an acute Covid infection, or post-Covid syndrome or long-covid rehabilitation.

At-risk assessment is done in the person's home, via telephone or at a primary care facility, and Te Pou says she's "definitely seeing" more people with long-Covid, defined as symptoms more than 12 weeks after initial infection.

Te Pou says most referrals are people at risk of complications from their symptoms or who have underlying health conditions.

"Women aged between 30 and 60 and those with underlying health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease appear to be at a higher risk. However, your likelihood of getting long-Covid is reduced by vaccination – so vaccination remains our best defence," she says.

She says rest remains the best way to get over fatigue and recommends people "pace" the day for what they "need" to do and leave the things they "want" to do for the next day.

Te Pou says it is frustrating to suffer from ongoing symptoms - being unwell can be stressful and mood could be further affected by frustrations about not being able to return to daily activities or work.

She suggests relaxation techniques but counselling support is available by phoning 1737, or talking with a GP.

Ministry of Health daily Covid-19 updates yesterday revealed 3693 new community cases, and 17 more deaths, taking the number of deaths in New Zealand linked to the virus to 1841. Six of the 402 people in hospitals were in intensive care or high dependency care units.

The seven-day rolling average of community cases totalled 4073 on August 16, down from 3496 at the latest calculation.

In Hawke's Bay, 16 people were reportedly in hospital with the virus today. One death was reported in Hawke's Bay in the previous 24 hours.