Until there's a Covid vaccine, we need to focus on treating longer-term health consequences | Elizabeth Hartland

We don't know yet how many of the ongoing symptoms could translate to chronic ill health in the future, and that's worrying

As Covid-19 infection numbers show a welcome downward trend in Melbourne and the city's residents look forward to some easing of restrictions, it's time to consider the longer-term health consequences of the pandemic.

More than 27,000 Australians - including some 20,000 Victorians - have been infected with the virus, with almost 900 deaths to date. Many countries are now in the grip of a second wave as the pandemic continues to take a toll on millions of lives around the globe - not only in terms of death, but also in the lingering, debilitating symptoms arising from severe, damaging inflammation.