Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to Answer of 30 November 2020 to Question 116622 on Health: Coronavirus, whether his Department plans to assess the effect of long covid on patients with obesity; and if he will make a statement.

COVID-19 is a new disease and therefore it is not yet clear what the physical, psychological and rehabilitation needs will be for those experiencing long-term effects of the virus. There is some evidence to suggest that ‘long’ COVID-19 may be more prevalent as body mass index increases but further research is needed.

The National Institute for Health Research and UK Research and Innovation have invested £8.4 million in the Post-HOSPitalisation COVID-19 study and have awarded an additional £18.5 million funding across four new research studies to help better understand the causes, symptoms and treatment options for ‘long’ COVID-19 in non-hospitalised patients.