Covid symptoms including fatigue, brain fog, can last for weeks, top doctor reveals

Omicron’s peak has passed on the Gold Coast according to health authorities – but a leading doctor said there will still be lingering effects for those who have been sick.

One of the Gold Coast’s leading GPs says she is not “not quite taking my rollerskates off yet” despite predictions the city’s Omicron wave had reached its peak.

On Monday, Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard said the Gold Coast appeared to be “close to or past its peak”.

There were 171 patients in Gold Coast hospitals, 11 of which were in ICU, with one on a ventilator.

Dr Sonu Haikerwal, co-owner and Principal General Practitioner at the Haan Health Medical Centre. Picture: Richard Gosling.

Upper Coomera Respiratory Clinic owner Dr Sonu Haikerwal said she “wouldn’t be surprised” if was true that the Gold Coast had reached its peak in cases, but said the number of patients presenting to her clinic remained “steady” and warned the effects of the Covid surge would still be felt for weeks.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if that (hitting the peak) is the case but that doesn’t mean the work slows down straight away,” Dr Haikerwal said.

“You still have another few weeks of lag and then we’re into the schools reopening so I’m not quite taking my rollerskates off yet.”

Dr Haikerwal said many patients were still suffering some effects of catching Covid two to three weeks after testing positive.

“It’s not like people clock back into normal work and normal things at seven days,” Dr Haikerwal said.

“... week two, three, four, people can still have quite a lot of tiredness, fatigue or brain fog.

“Real tiredness at the end of the day. They feel ok and then by the evening they’re like, no I’m not ok I’m very tired.”

Dr Haikerwal said it was important that people continued to get vaccinated, even if they had contracted Covid.

“One important message we are also giving to people when we are doing Covid reviews is vaccination, because people are confused about that,” Dr Haikerwal said.

“They need to carry on with their vaccination schedule, they just need to wait four or six weeks from their Covid positive.

“It’s four or six weeks from the acute episode, from being sick.”

GOLD COAST ‘CLOSE TO OR PAST ITS PEAK’

The Gold Coast has likely reached a peak in Covid-19 transmission as the Omicron wave sweeps across Queensland, according to the state’s chief health officer.

During the state’s daily coronavirus update on Monday, Dr John Gerrard said the city appeared to be “close to or past its peak”.

“It appears the peak is not as steep as seen in other states,” he said.

“We expect that’s because of our high vaccination rates.”

Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard. Picture: Liam Kidston.

However, Dr Gerrard warned high numbers of community transmitted cases would be recorded for several weeks, even if the Coast has passed the worst of the wave.

He said the peak of the wave did not mark the end of the virus’ impact statewide.

“ … the peak is not the end,” he said.

“The peak is the high point.”

It was also revealed the Coast had recorded four days in a row of declining hospitalisations.

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