Over 270,000 people have been diagnosed with long Covid, the lingering effects of coronavirus infection. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Oct. 9 (Korea Bizwire) – In South Korea, over 270,000 people have been diagnosed with long Covid, the lingering effects of coronavirus infection, according to data released by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service.
The figures, obtained by Baek Jong-heon, a lawmaker from the People Power Party, show that from 2020 through July of this year, 274,372 patients received diagnoses related to post-Covid conditions.
These include codes for post-Covid-19 condition, multisystem inflammatory syndrome associated with Covid-19, and other unspecified post-Covid-19 conditions.
Long Covid refers to the persistence of Covid-19 symptoms long after the initial infection. Symptoms can include breathing difficulties, fatigue, “brain fog” (characterized by mental haziness and impaired memory and concentration), blood clots, acute pulmonary embolism, and anxiety disorders.
Despite the high number of affected individuals, South Korea lacks a national support system for testing and treatment of long Covid patients. Some regions offer limited assistance, such as covering costs for lung CT scans or prescribing traditional Korean medicine.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) is working to improve its approach, conducting cohort studies and developing treatment guidelines for healthcare providers. This follows the inclusion of an evidence-based disease control strategy in the national agenda by the Presidential Transition Committee in 2022.
Baek criticized the absence of a responsible government agency for long Covid support. “There’s no testing or treatment support due to the lack of a designated department,” he said. He contrasted this with the United Kingdom’s National Health Service, which has designated about 90 hospitals as long Covid clinics, providing treatment support for children and adolescents.
According to Baek, the Ministry of Health and Welfare claims its role is limited to managing medical institutions and determining when to increase hospital bed capacity.
The KDCA stated it lacks the legal basis to intervene since long Covid is not classified as an infectious disease, preventing the use of its budget for this purpose.
“Some people are forced to quit their jobs due to the need for long-term treatment of Covid-19 aftereffects,” Baek noted. He emphasized the necessity for a systematic government response to prevent mild cases from progressing to severe ones.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
