Five years on from the first cases of Covid-19 in Ireland, many people are living with Long Covid, a group of health problems that persist after initial infection.
Lydia Fischer Dooley, 33, has been trying to cope with symptoms of Long Covid for several years, since she first contracted the disease.
Because of her illness, she is back at home in Dublin living with her family.
She said that before becoming infected, she took the advice on protecting herself seriously from the start of the pandemic.
Lydia was living in Dubai at the time, working as a teacher and life was full and good.
"I was exercising and running about, and I was totally healthy and had nothing abnormal," she said.
With her first infection here, Lydia was ill for around seven days.
She said it was unpleasant, but she recovered from it, and she returned to Dubai and back to work.
It was the second infection in May 2022 that was very severe.
She never developed a cough, or fever or flu-like symptoms but developed fatigue, mobility issues and hand tremors and it hit her hard.
"Long Covid is a complete upside down turning of life.
"I get profound exhaustion. I crash after any cognitive or physical exertion. It has been very disruptive in my life, and I cannot work, and I am housebound," she explained.
She is certified unfit to work due to disability.
Lydia said her GP is trying the best to help her.
She said the HSE Long Covid clinics follow a trend of not being able to offer any treatment and she feels it is a bit like window-dressing.
She said because there is little real support and she has been forced to go private for care.
Lydia said money she had been saving for a deposit for a home has gone on private healthcare as she tries to cope with her debilitating symptoms.
