Covid-19 Patients Are Happy When They're Out Of The Woods But Getting Back On Their Feet Takes A Lot Longer

How occupational therapy helps speed up the road to recovery

- Vivienne Aitken

Occupational therapists have never been in such demand as they try to cope with the tide of Covid-19 patients suffering the ravaging effects of the virus.

More than 18,000 Scots have been diagnosed with coronavirus and a large proportion will have ongoing problems for many months after the acute symptoms have eased. Even those who have had a milder form of Covid-19 may struggle with fatigue.

Shona Ballentyne, 39, is an occupational therapist who has returned to the clinical side of her profession from a role in practice management because of the increased demand for OT expertise.

Ballantyne, who is based at Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, said: “It is still unknown how long people will take to recover. Even younger people are affected with this for longer.”