Ontario hospital launching long-haul COVID treatment clinic based on AHS program

An Ontario hospital is setting up a new clinic to treat COVID-19 patients with long-haul symptoms.

The Post COVID-19 Syndrome Rehabilitation Outpatient Clinic will make its home in the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital. The program is based on one developed by an Alberta Health Services task force.

Those who’ve recovered from the virus but are experiencing persistent symptoms will be able to participate in multidisciplinary intervention framework, which includes personalized assessment and treatment.

“Recent international data shows approximately 10 per cent of COVID-19 patients experience debilitating symptoms, which may last for many months,” Dr. Greg Thomson, medical director for rehab, geriatrics, transitions and integrated care at Halton Healthcare told the Toronto Star.

“These chronic symptoms fall under the definition of Post COVID-19 Syndrome. We felt that there was an urgent need for the identification and treatment of these individuals to reduce the risk of permanent deficit.”

Treatments will include education and behaviour modification, as well as exercise training—all designed to boost physician, cognitive, psychological and social symptoms.

Patients seeking to enroll must be 18 or older, having had a COVID-19 diagnosis in the past year. They must also be in the recovery phase of the illness and able to tolerate the program’s treatments.