Even mild Covid-19 symptoms can lead to neurological or psychiatric symptoms

The systemtic review analysed 215 studies involving over 105,000 people, from 30 countries, with acute symptoms of covid-19. They found that there was a wide range of ways in which Covid-19 can affect mental health and the brain, including a loss or change of smell (anosmia), weakness, fatigue, depression and anxiety. These changes were not more prevelant in patients with severe sympstoms, indicating that Covid-19 affecting mental health and the brain is the norm, rather than the exception.

Dr Alasdair Rooney said "With millions of people infected globally, even the rarer symptoms could affect substantially more people than in usual times. Mental health services and neurological rehabilitation services should be resourced for an increase in referrals.”