'I have long Covid, but some say it isn't real'

Anita Widdowson was diagnosed with long Covid in 2023

"I've been told that I'm spreading propaganda, that I'm lying, that the condition doesn't exist."

But Anita Widdowson, from north-west Leicestershire, says she battles with the symptoms of long Covid every day, and is unable to work or study as a result.

The 27-year-old contracted Covid in January 2022, and thought it was "not too bad" at first, but days later, she could "barely move" her legs and was diagnosed with the longer-term condition at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester in 2023.

Despite her struggles, Anita is continuing to challenge herself by walking 140 miles (225km) by the end of December in aid of the Long Covid Kids charity.

Long Covid is, according to the NHS, when symptoms of the initial virus, such as fatigue, joint and muscle pain, and brain fog, last for longer than 12 weeks.

It is not fully understood, and there is no internationally-agreed definition - so estimates of how common it is, or what the main symptoms are, vary.

In March this year, analysis of national data suggested one in 10 people in the UK think they could have the condition.

"It's been really difficult some days," she says. "But really rewarding.

"Some days I can walk and walk, and then other days I get out of the house, take a few steps and say 'that's enough for today'."

Anita now uses mobility aids and says her symptoms can vary

After experiencing "very mild" Covid symptoms, Anita described feeling like there were weights on her ankles, knees and hips, and says it took her months to feel like she could walk properly.

She now uses a walking stick or rollator - a walking frame on wheels with a built-in seat - to get around, and says long Covid is a "dynamic disability" that causes her symptoms to vary.

"Some days I can wake up feeling really good and almost like I don't have long Covid," Anita adds.

"Other days, it can feel like I'm back to square one and my legs will barely move. My head feels completely abnormal and I end up staying in bed all day."

Anita has been supported by Glenfield Hospital's long Covid service, which has received more than 8,000 referrals since it was established in 2020.

Julie Skeemer, advanced clinical practitioner, described long Covid as "a complex condition", adding the "wide range of symptoms can make diagnosis challenging".

As well as suffering with long Covid, Anita is also being tested for postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) - a condition where the heart rate increases very quickly after getting up from sitting up or lying down.

She says she has been told the symptoms can overlap with long Covid.

While Anita often receives supportive responses to her condition on social media, she says she has faced negative ones in the past being accused of lying or engaging in propaganda.

"If they can't imagine themselves in my position, it's very hard to understand," she says.

"If I see comments online, are they people I would want to engage with day to day in person? The answer normally is no, so I just don't let it bother me."

Anita completed a master's degree in media and globalisation at Nottingham Trent University at the end of 2021, and had been working part-time as a lunchtime supervisor at a school before contracting Covid.

She hopes to be able to go back into education and is considering a second master's degree or a PhD.

"I want to get busy," she says. "I want to get out there.

"I want to be working, I want to be doing something."

Anita's mum, Sue, says her daughter "just gets on with it"

For now though, Anita is going on short walks around her local area as part of her fundraising challenge, for which she has set herself a £1,000 target.

She is being supported by her mum, Sue, who says her daughter is "doing really well".

She adds: "She's not given up, she doesn't complain. She just gets on with it."

Sammie McFarland, founder and CEO of Long Covid Kids, says: "We are incredibly grateful to Anita for raising vital funds to support children and young people living with long Covid.

"Her determination, despite living with the condition herself, is truly inspiring and helps shine a light on the urgent need for action."