Former borough MP Jo Platt talks about battle with 'long Covid'

Ex-Labour MP for Leigh, Jo Platt, was hit with the virus just before lockdown in March and has been fighting its debilitating effects ever since.

The 47-year-old first had the virus during a time when it wasn’t possible to get a test and they were only available to NHS staff.

Although she has recently tested negative for Covid-19 twice, she still said she fights symptoms months on.

Describing how she “couldn’t breathe at times and was left hanging over the end of the bed”, the mum-of-three who is about to start a new role as general manager for Leigh Spinners Mill, told the Wigan Post: “I’ve never had the usual symptoms of coronavirus such as a cough and high temperature and loss of smell and taste.

“I would just have severe fatigue and my muscles would be aching and I’d get nausea lung inflammation, gastrointestinal disturbance and a burning sensation in my esophagus.

“At my worse on April 18, my partner called 111 in the middle of the night, as I couldn’t breathe and was hanging over the end of the bed.

“There was nothing they could do though as I could talk and wasn’t displaying coronavirus symptoms.”

Since then, she is a lot better but has continual lapses where she will be breathless and suffer from fatigue.

She says two of her children have also had coronavirus symptoms as well as two sisters and an uncle.

She is now fighting to raise awareness of ‘long Covid’, and the campaign has seen a support group for sufferers formed, which has 20,000 members.

It has seen them get recognition from the government including health secretary Matt Hancock during a Health and Social Care Committee on September 7.

Jo, who still can't exercise to this day and suffers from fatigue, said: “It’s great to finally get that recognition as there are a lot of people suffering with long Covid and awareness is needed so it’s known that this isn’t a mild virus but one which can have lifelong repercussions from people who suffer.

“There is a lot out there from people who say this is a mild virus that won’t affect them and is a product of scaremongering and is ultimately a hoax. This simply isn’t true and people still need to be mindful and careful and wash hands and social distance and wear masks when required. I've been literally inundated with messages from people who've gone through the same."

“There does need to be a lot more support for sufferers such as rehab and local pathways to help people.

She added: “I’m a lot better now and have had a period of a number of weeks where life was manageable but I had some fatigue again on Saturday.

“I’ve never ever fought anything like it, it’s been a real rollercoaster.”