DOH: No long-term effects of COVID-19 seen in local survivors yet

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday said it has not seen any indications of the reported long-term effects of COVID-19 to local survivors, adding that some of the patients who have defeated the disease have gone back to their “normal routine.”

“Wala pa tayong talagang data na masasabi natin na malawakan na meron talagang long-term effects,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergiere said in an online media forum.

(We do not have data yet that extensively indicate that there are really long-term effects.)

According to Vergeire, reports from other countries claimed that there may be long-term effects of COVID-19 to recovered patients. However, she noted that the agency has yet to observe any of the said possible long-term effects on local survivors.

“Actually, we would see people who have recovered, they are now very healthy, went back to their normal routine. But of course, tinututukan din ng DOH ang mga lumabas na articles (the DOH is monitoring all the articles on the disease that are coming out),” she said.

JE