Billboard for Long Covid & MECFS (Cardiff)

***UPDATE***

Thanks so much for the donations. We're so pleased to have reached our target. If you would still like to donate, here is the link for the main billboard campaign where Aaron and Alex can hopefully hire another billboard somewhere else in the UK. Diolch yn fawr. :)

https://gofund.me/c5bda6c8

Hi. My name is Yanto. I'm one of an estimated 1.9 million people in the UK living with Long Covid - a complex, multi-system illness for which there is very little in the way of understanding. Similar to ME/CFS, there is currently no test, no cure, no treatments and no prognosis. Ask most people and they believe that Post Viral Illnesses are characterised by prolonged fatigue and feeling 'tired' all the time. However, this only serves to underplay how serious this illness can be. A recent study identified over 200 symptoms associated with Long Covid that affect all of your organs. It's a disabling condition that can have a profound impact on your life with huge consequences on your quality of life, your career and relationships with your friends and family. Chronically ill patients live with the fear they may never fully recover again.

National governments would have you believe that Covid-19 is no longer something to worry about. Mitigations such as Covid testing, mask wearing and wastewater monitoring have been all but abandoned. Politicians commonly use language like 'post-Covid' and 'post-Pandemic' suggesting Covid is no longer a threat. However, Dr Tedros of the World Health Organisation has said that 1 in 10 infections can lead to Long Covid. That's infections, not people. So, if you catch Covid ten times, the likelihood is you will get Long Covid in some form.

ANYONE CAN GET LONG COVID & ME/CFS.

This is regardless of age, gender, health status, whether you've been previously vaccinated or caught Covid previously and presented with only mild symptoms.

There is no diagnostic test for post viral illnesses currently. Any monitoring of cases are based on estimates only. However, we're seeing a steady rise in long term sickness levels since early 2020 that are now at record levels (source: Office of National Statistics) as well as reported shortages of staff in frontline occupations such as healthcare, education and hospitality. It beggars belief that those who stepped up during the pandemic to keep our society going now find themselves struggling with little in the way of help and support.

This is why clinical trials are critical. A lot of research has been undertaken in recent years to understand what causes post viral illnesses. Studies have revealed potential hope for future treatments but, without clinical trials, patients are unable to access any medications to help relieve their symptoms.

In February/March, the UK Covid Inquiry comes to Cardiff to assess the Welsh government's response to the Covid-19 outbreak. There are currently no specialist Long Covid clinics in Wales with patients having to visit their GP to access secondary care. Many patients are having to access consultants and arrange alternative therapies at their own cost.

As Long Covid patients, what is upsetting is that there have been previous SARS outbreaks that resulted in long term sickness. Furthermore, post viral illnesses like ME/CFS have been around for decades with little engagement from the medical community. Like Long Covid patients, those living with ME/CFS have been gaslighted and ignored for years. If we are to learn the lessons of the past and prepare for the next inevitable pandemic, then we must research post viral illnesses with a view to developing a cure or treatments!

On the back of Aaron Campbell's billboard campaign, I would like to hire a billboard in Cardiff to coincide with the Wales module of the UK Covid Inquiry to raise awareness and continue the push for clinical trials. I would like to build on the success of Aaron's campaign by using the same artwork in what will be the first billboard of this type here in Wales.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/billboards-for-long-covid-and-mecfs

My target is to reach £450 that will cover the cost of the billboard for 2 weeks during the course of the inquiry. Anything over and above this amount will be paid forward and donated towards another billboard elsewhere in the UK.

Diolch.

Thank you.