Covid 5 years on: Inverness survivor saddened when virus downplayed

A Highland woman who was left in a coma after contracting covid is telling us how she feels when the virus is labelled as a 'scam.'

Sarah MacDougall, from Inverness, spent 22 days in Raigmore Hospital after contracting coronavirus, nine of which were in a coma.

The 47-year-old says "it's not nice to hear" when people try to reject the seriousness of the pandemic.

With March 23rd marking five years since the first UK-wide covid lockdown was imposed, we're hearing from a range of people looking back at that time and how we're tackling the effects of the virus today.

'My husband thought I'd be away to the undertakers'

Before being admitted to hospital due to covid in April 2020, Sarah had been unwell after suffering with gallstones.

After visiting her GP, she was quickly taken to Raigmore where she wouldn't see her husband for more than 20 days.

Five years on, Sarah explained how she feels when the impact of virus is downplayed.

She said: "People still talk about it, some people don't talk about it and just forget about it.

"(They) just think it's a big scam and it wasn't true.

"If you speak to people like myself who have got long covid, who were critically ill and survived, it's not nice to hear that.

"My husband Harry didn't think he'd get to see me again.

"He thought that would be me, I'd be away to the undertakers.

"But, I battled through."

Living life to the full

Despite being forced into an early retirement and receiving a long covid diagnosis in July 2020, Sarah now volunteers and helps advocate for others suffering with the condition.

The former care home cook assistant is desperate to raise the profile on the symptoms linked with long covid and also make the most of life despite her situation.

She said: "The fatigue and the breathlessness are the basics, but there's skin conditions, dizziness, nerve pain, muscle pain, depression, post traumatic stress, anxiety, weight gain, weight loss, diabetes, there's so much.

"I used to love going on holiday abroad to Spain or cruising, but I can't get insurance now.

"I take each day and think 'live life to the full' because when you get a scare like that you just don't know.

"As they say life's too short, and it is.

"I just try and live life to the full now."

The Scottish Government have outlined what action they are taking on long covid.

Public Health Minister Jenni Minto said: “We take the issue of long covid very seriously and recognise the impact it can have on the health and wellbeing of those affected.

“Since April 2022 we have allocated more than £6.8 million to health boards to supplement core funding and support their response for long covid.

"The 2025/26 budget includes new investment of £4.5 million to deliver specialist support across the country for long covid, ME, Chronic Fatigue, and other similar conditions.

“There remains a great deal to be learned about long covid, which is why we are contributing to the worldwide research effort to better understand the condition.

"Our Chief Scientist Office has awarded around £3.1m for 11 projects considering its long-term effects."