Newcastle dad 'forced' to take early retirement after 'debilitating' long Covid fatigue

A Newcastle father has been forced to take early retirement after long Covid has left him with "debilitating fatigue."

Andrew Haley contracted Covid in March 2020.

He said long Covid has turned him into a "virtual recluse" after previously being active and outgoing.

It comes as a report published today, that explores Long Covid rates across England, has shown the North East of England has the second highest rates of people reporting long covid symptoms in England.

Andrew Haley told our reporter Helen Ford that long Covid has turned him into a "recluse"

Sixty Three year old Andrew Haley said long Covid forced him to give up a job he enjoyed and take early retirement.

He added: "It's been devastating. That's the word I can use, yeah, devastating because it's like I am living a different life now prior to the life I lived pre-Covid.

"I don't socialise any more, I can't physically do much actively, so I don't go to the gym any more, I don't go out and basically, I am housebound."

The report published today was put together by a group of health academics. It suggested that cases like Mr Haley's are far more prevalent across the north than elsewhere in England.

Examining patient surveys carried out by GP practices, they found the highest rates in the North West - with 5.5% of respondents reporting Long Covid.

The figure for the North East and Yorkshire stands slightly below, at 5.1% - with the England average at 4.4%

The issue, according to the researchers, isn't simply the number of people who are living with long Covid - but the impact it is having on their lives, their families, wellbeing and employment prospects.

The Government said it's committed to ensuring everyone has access to the care they need.

The authors of today's report say long Covid is adding to existing health inequalities in our region - and are calling for action.

"One of our recommendations from the report is a government consultation, both with employers and with people living with long Covid to kind of explore ways that we could manage the condition of long Covid but-so ways that employers could potentially support their employees who are suffering with post Covid condition."

Claire Hastie runs a long Covid support group in County Durham and is part of a global network of 65,000 members.

She said: "Theres a lot of people like myself who are having to reduce hours or change their careers.

"A lot of people are losing their jobs and being fired because their employers are not prepared to make accommodations so it has a huge effect at individual level but also at societal level."

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