MONROE COUNTY, Pa. — St. Luke's University Health Network is looking to help people who are still experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 long after they caught the virus.
These patients are called "long-haulers." Dr. Dennis McGorry explains.
"When you're seeing patients that are having symptoms that are lasting past that four weeks, the initial onset of symptoms, we are looking at them as COVID long haulers or PASC. The symptoms, there's a myriad of symptoms. Some of the more common ones (are) fatigue, breathlessness, chest tightness, a real big one is brain fog has been impacting a lot of folks," said Dr. McGorry.
To help treat COVID-19 long-haulers, St. Luke's has created a COVID Recovery Clinic to help those with lingering symptoms.
The clinic will offer several different kinds of medical help, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, and group therapy.
"These people need treatment. One of the things I'm seeing in folks coming to us who are frustrated with their care elsewhere is they've pretty much been told, you've had COVID, it's over with, hang in there you'll get better. But we know, there is actually a diagnosis and we want to empower these individuals with the knowledge that they have a diagnosis and it's something we can continue to work with them, work on and hopefully get them better and decrease the time frame to wellness for them," said Dr. McGorry.
There are five COVID Recovery Clinics throughout the network.
If you believe you're a COVID long-hauler, you can make an appointment with your health care provider or call St. Luke's at 1-866-785-8537, option 7.