Long Covid may affect thinking similar to ageing

People who have been hospitalised with coronavirus may be left with difficulties in thinking comparable in magnitude to ageing 20 years, research suggests.

As the pandemic swept the world, it became apparent that the virus could not only cause immediate health problems but also leave some people with often debilitating symptoms – a condition known as long Covid.

According to one UK study, about a third of patients who experienced symptoms after being hospitalised felt fully recovered a year later, with little improvement for most patients in areas including physical function and cognitive impairment.

Experts have revealed that some patients were left with a lingering cognitive decline. David Menon, a professor at Cambridge University and senior author of the study, said the degree of impairment was linked to the severity of illness.