ROCHESTER, Minn. Symptoms are only half the picture when it comes to persistent COVID, also known as post-COVID syndrome. The other half is how persistent COVID affects a person’s ability to carry on with their life. The Dr. Greg Vanichkachorn, director of theProgram for rehabilitation in activity after COVID Mayo Clinicoffers tips for returning to work during recovery.
“It can be difficult to return to work after going through any medical condition, and this is especially true in the case of persistent COVID,” says Dr. Vanichkachorn, a physician in the Mayo Clinic Division of Public Health, Infectious Diseases and Occupational Medicine. . Among the steps that can help, Dr. Vanichkachorn mentions:
Communicate
It will be difficult for your employer to offer you help if they don’t know how to do it. Clear communication with your employer and medical team will maximize your chances of getting back to work without a hitch. How can you communicate effectively?
1. Make sure your employer regularly receives job recommendations from your medical team. Dr. Vanichkachorn recommends sending updates every two to four weeks.
2. When you meet with your medical team to develop recommendations for work, actively participate. After all, you know your job better than anyone.
3. Talk to your employer often. “I know it can be difficult to have these kinds of conversations. As difficult as this can be, keeping it in the dark for weeks can only make it worse,” says Dr. Vanichkachorn.
4. Don’t wait until you have a scheduled appointment to adjust work recommendations. If you feel better and are ready to take on more work, let your medical team know. “The same applies if your situation worsens,” says Dr. Vanichkachorn. “Constant communication is key.”
rearrange work
“Many patients worry about going back to work because they don’t know how they’ll do when faced with their usual workload,” says Dr. Vanichkachorn. “It can take a long time for a patient to feel ready to work 100%. That’s why we recommend that they go back to work gradually.”
–
For example, if you usually work eight hours a day, five days a week, then perhaps you should go back to working four-hour shifts, three days a week, with a day off in between.
Dr. Vanichkachorn recommends asking if the employer offers special jobs called temporary alternative tasks. These positions are generally less labor-intensive and are designed to allow employees with medical conditions to return to work.
do your homework
Unfortunately, temporary alternative assignments aren’t available to everyone, and some patients with persistent COVID are being asked not to return to work until they’re “100%,” says Dr. Vanichkachorn. “It’s not an ideal situation, as I’m not sure anyone can make a full recovery right away. In this case, you might be away from your workplace for a while.”
That doesn’t mean you can’t do housework, says the doctor. The important activities we do during the daysuch as laundry, cooking, and running errands, can simulate work.
“I recommend viewing daily activities as your job. By doing this, you and your medical team will be able to better assess what types of activities you can do when you return to work,” says the doctor.
Focus on functional status
Patients often want to eliminate pain and get back to where they were before COVID, says Dr. Vanichkachorn.
“While I understand the desire, and helping those in pain is part of my profession, this goal can be very elusive. Instead, I encourage patients to focus on improving their functional status,” advises Dr. Vanichkachorn. “When you return to work, you may face new challenges and even feel unwell. However, with treatment y new control strategiesyou may be able to overcome such obstacles and get back to work.”
People with persistent COVID can reach out to others to share successes and recovery tips on the Mayo Clinic COVID-19 and post-COVID recovery support group.
###
Information about Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization dedicated to innovating clinical practice, education, and research, as well as providing expertise, compassion, and answers to all who need to get healthy. Visit the Mayo Clinic Information Network to read more news about Mayo Clinic.
Media contact:
Sharon Theimer, Mayo Clinic Public Relations, [email protected]
–
