We have recently limited our reality to a signle word: COVID. Every day the number of people all around the world, who have contracted the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 is growing. There is also growing concern about the potential long-term consequences of this condition. Even though it is still a very new disease, we already know that it affects not only our lungs. Consequently, multidimensional therapy and rehabilitation of convalescents will be required.
As early as in July 2020, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a report from Italy concluding that most of these Covid-19 patients, who required hospitalization, continued to suffer from health issues for months following their alleged recovery (negative virus screening test results).
Over 98 different long-term symptoms appear in various reports. Chronic fatigue, difficulties with concentration, headache, sleep disorders, anxiety, depressive conditions and memory issues are the most frequently quoted.
Using the knowledge we sourced from other viral diseases, we can suspect how the survivors will cope in a year, two, five, or ten years. Physicians are long since familiar with the fact that viral infections can act as catalysts for other health issues, which can then persist long after the infection itself was cured.
These long-term health issues that are caused not by the virus infection itself, but the pandemic as such, should also be addressed. The term pandemic acute stress disorder appears here.The most common feature of this disorder is a prolonged anxiety response, persistent fear and feelings of helplessness, and even panic attacks. Particular attention should also be paid to the consequences affecting healthcare workers in this respect.
The actual determination of the most problematic SARS-CoV-2 infection complications will take months, or even longer. It is advisable to develop and implement short- and long-term interventions and rehabilitation for all these people. Comprehensive therapeutic assistance responding to all patient needs. The application of a wide range of interventions is desirable in this case, and we are convinced that VR therapy can be very helpful in COVID. After all, the results of our research demonstrate that our therapeutic solution reduces the depression level by 37% (according to the GDS scale), lowers the level of anxiety by 36% (according to the HADS scale) and reduces the level of stress by 27% (according to the PSQ scale).
