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Intermountain Healthcare introduces program aimed to help COVID-19 long-haulers

Posted at 5:22 PM, Feb 23, 2022
and last updated 2022-02-23 19:22:36-05

SALT LAKE CITY — Intermountain Healthcare unveiled a new “Navigation” program to treat patients with lingering symptoms of COVID-19.

Dr. Dixie Harris, one of the doctors leading the initiative says the challenge is dealing with a vast variety of symptoms.

The most common is severe fatigue.

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“Many of these patients never were hospitalized, were not super sick, but yet they cannot do their regular daily activities,” Harris said.

Other symptoms can be shortness of breath, coughing, chest pain, a racing heart, and some of the most common symptoms affect the brain, like brain fog and anxiety.

“These patients are really suffering because it's hard to get back to work and do their job when they're having trouble concentrating,” Harris said.

Harris said doctors have associated more than 2,000 symptoms with Long COVID-19.

Read - COVID long-haulers remain challenge for Utah doctors

Intermountain Healthcare describes their Long COVID-19 Navigation Program as a way to triage patients.

“Every specialty is learning about this and a lot of it is how can we treat these patients,” said Harris.

If you would like to call a nurse with questions about your Long COVID-19, the number is 801-408-5888.