Long Covid: Shrewsbury sufferer's body 'won't let her live'

Michelle Palser said she tested positive with a mild dose of the virus four months ago

A lecturer suffering with long Covid says she wants to live a normal life but her body "won't let her".

Michelle Palser, 44, of Shrewsbury, said she tested positive with a mild dose of the virus four months ago, but has since got "progressively worse".

The list of symptoms for so-called long Covid include 55 issues, ranging from chronic fatigue, brain fog and anxiety.

"I never dreamt in a million years I'd feel like this," she said, adding that she was worried what the future holds.

The government has said it will invest £18.5m into four studies looking at the longer term effects of Covid.

Ms Palser, who re-located to Shropshire from London, said she used to do "lots of adventurous stuff" but said: "When I'm ill, I think 'Is this what my life is going to be like now?'"

"You want to live the normal life you had, but your body won't let you," she added.

The 44-year-old said fatigue started a week after she fell ill and also has "debilitating" headaches and different symptoms every week.

Ms Palser said there was "uncertainty" around what the clinical provision would be and how long it could take

"I've had two positive days where I've felt 95% myself but you feel like you're living on eggshells," she said.

She spoke to her GP and asked to be referred to a local clinic for people with long Covid, but said there was "uncertainty" around what the provision is and how long it could take.

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Karen Peake, also from Shrewsbury, spent a week in intensive care with coronavirus last April, and said she has still not fully recovered.

"I have breathing issues, still getting short of breath even climbing stairs, really bad fatigue, brain fog and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) from ITU (intensive care)," she said.

She recently had her first appointment at a clinic in Shropshire and will have another review in 12 weeks.

Shropshire Council will be asked at a cabinet meeting later about any additional help for people with long Covid.