Siobhan Killeen interview
- Jun 10,2020
Covid-19 recovery brings its own challenges ...
Around the world there are reports of people still suffering from Covid-19 symptoms, several weeks after they contracted the virus.
Fatigue, difficulty breathing and reduced cognitive ability are among the symptoms some are experiencing and doctors are struggling to explain why.
Dublin Ladies footballer Siobhán Killeen, 27, contracted Covid-19 in March.
Between training sessions and her job as a radiographer at the Mater Hospital, she had very little down time before she became sick.
"I would've been very active. Working eight to five in the hospital and then overtime on top of that. And then training every day. I was constantly on the go," she said
When she got the virus she felt quite unwell with flu-like symptoms for the first week.
However, by the second week she felt strong enough to try exercising in her room, but it did not go well and weeks later, she is still struggling to regain her full strength.
"It's just like after exercise, I'd be flat out coughing. I never had any lung issues, I don't suffer from sports asthma or anything, and there's been a few days where I would go to exercise and I couldn't get going. I just didn't have the energy."
Siobhán feels that she is definitely on the road to recovery, but has realised that recovery, for some, takes longer than two weeks. After speaking to colleagues who also contracted the virus, she takes solace in the fact that she is not the only one suffering from prolonged symptoms.
Professor Paul Garner is from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine he believes it is important that employers and society are aware of the recovery period and believes it is wrong to assume that after 14 days, everyone who contracts Covid-19 will be back to their normal selves.
Article by Tommy Meskill as featured on RTÉ.ie, Wednesday June 10th