How is the UK handling long Covid, one of the biggest health issues to emerge from the pandemic?

A panel of experts brought together by The Independent discussed this on Wednesday and the overall message was that the UK’s response has been lacking.

Chaired by Health Correspondent Rebecca Thomas and Science Correspondent Samuel Lovett, the panel included Dr Elaine Maxwell, Professor Amitava Banerjee and Professor Brendan Delaney.

The session explores the UK’s response in depth from research approaches to provision for patients. Watch back the full event in the video below.

Estimates suggest that well over a million people are suffering from the condition, nearly half of whom have struggled with persistent symptoms for at least a year.

Many will have developed long Covid after the recent Omicron wave, which fuelled millions of weekly infections over the Christmas period.

Exploring issues of why people present with a multitude of long Covid symptoms and why they are finding it so hard to get the support and treatment they need.

The NHS has dedicated clinics. However, these began focusing primarily on respiratory problems and have not evolved to support the array of different conditions patients are now presenting with.

Watch back the full event in the video below.

The clinics have also struggled to cope with high demand from patients, who feel neglected and ignored by the health system.

The UK’s health services are yet to treat patients with long Covid as those with complex and long term conditions - would a change in approach to similar what is offered for HIV be a good way to start? Our panel discusses this and more.

Despite the many challenges that lie ahead, there is some hope on the horizon: scientists are starting to make progress in better understanding long Covid and closing in on some of the biggest questions surrounding the condition.

Browse our programme of virtual events here.