Long Covid significantly impacts Northumberland Park resident's life

A man from Northumberland Park is still struggling with Long Covid five years after the first Covid-19 lockdown. Matthew Pocock, 49, was infected early in the pandemic. He finds daily tasks, like making tea, very challenging due to lingering symptoms. Matthew, who worked as a university lecturer, experienced extreme fatigue and other issues after his Covid-19 infection in February 2020. He has missed important moments in his children's lives because of his condition. Despite this, he remains hopeful and credits his family, especially his wife, for their support. Although he has started seeing a specialist and attending physiotherapy for chronic fatigue, Matthew finds it hard to get adequate medical help. He describes the process as difficult, stating that many treatments are still in trial phases. Living with Long Covid has significantly changed Matthew’s life. He is unable to work and worries about needing to retrain if his condition improves. He says he only has a few hours each day where he feels capable of activity, and this limited energy makes daily tasks feel exhausting. Matthew wants to raise awareness about the effects of Long Covid, which he feels often goes unrecognized by society. He describes attending events, like parents' evenings, as requiring careful planning to ensure he can manage it. A report from Health Equity North last August showed that Long Covid has affected the North more than other parts of England. In the North East and Yorkshire, 5.1% of people reported symptoms, compared to a national average of 4.4%.