A BARRHEAD man still living with the effects of coronavirus for months has praised a new rehab initiative to help struggling patients. 

Tam McCue caught the virus earlier this year and spent two weeks in intensive care. 

The 64-year-old, who lived an active lifestyle before catching coronavirus, said that three months on, even doing basic tasks exhausted him.

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He said: “I spent a long time in ICU, completely immobile, which took its toll. Now, though I’ve been discharged, even three months later, doing the basics can still take it out of me and I recognise it’ll be a long time before I’m anywhere near back to where I was before."

Glasgow Times:

Since surviving the deadly bug, Tam has been attending sessions at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde's Inspire rehab clinics which aim to help those suffering with "long-Covid" or who attended ICU with coronavirus get back on their feet. 

He added: "Inspire has given me a strong grounding to get to where I want to be, and the team has been excellent in providing advice and support and even though they have to be delivered online, the clinics have been really helpful and I’m sure will help many other patients like myself in the future.”

Inspire combines sessions with doctors and nurses with input from pharmacists, physiotherapists and psychologists. 

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The sessions take place virtually over Zoom and Near Me and aim to combat common feelings of depression, anxiety and low self-esteem, experienced by those coming out of intensive care, as well as the physical limitations of reduced mobility. 

Dr Lisa Gemmell, ICU consultant at Paisley’s Royal Alexandra Hospital, said: “While ICU provides life-saving treatments for patients, it can take a significant emotional and physical toll on people.

"We know that Covid-19 patients admitted to ICU can be here for a sustained period of time, which means the recovery process is likely going to be a lengthy and difficult journey for many.

“The Inspire programme provides a well-established and crucial means of support for these patients once they have been discharged from hospital.

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"We know from experience that having a peer support group in place can really help accelerate recovery and remind ICU patients they are not on their own.

"This, coupled with the multi-service approach over the five-week period means patients receive a package of care made up from different disciplines working in tandem to ensure as speedy a recovery as possible.