A previously fit and healthy teenager has missed almost two years of school due to long Covid.
Hayden, from Elvington, near Dover, says his life “completely changed” after he caught Covid in December 2020.
The 15-year-old once enjoyed sports such as swimming and judo, but must now use a wheelchair, and is largely bedridden with symptoms such as severe fatigue.
“I wake up every day and I’m really drained,” he said.
“It’s like I’ve woken up and I’ve run a couple of marathons.”
His mother, Katherine, said it feels like no-one has been able to help her son.
She said: “It’s like my child is on the subs bench and he’s just watching his childhood being played out.”
Dr David Strain, a senior lecturer at the University of Exeter medical school and an expert on long Covid, said few facts were known about long Covid.
He added: “We believe that long Covid for many people is caused by the virus not being cleared fully.”
This leaves people in a cycle of a “significant flu-like illness”.
More than 2m people have experienced symptoms of long Covid, government figures show.
Within this figure, about 330,000 people say their day-to-day activities have been limited.
Katherine has started a Go Fund Me page in order to raise £20,000 to pay for specialist private treatment for Hayden.
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