Long Covid recommendation 'a long time coming' says parent 

Kate Brunner's report made 31 recommendations, including for a children's long Covid service

Politicians, campaigners and parents have welcomed a recommendation for a long Covid treatment programme on the Isle of Man for children. 

It's just one of 31 recommendations made by Kate Brunner KC in her review of the Manx government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic. 

She said while there were areas of weakness in government's response, over all it had been largely successful. 

However, there was one recommendation that made some people feel vindicated - the call for a long covid programme for children. 

Ms Brunner said recovery needs to be addressed at the early stages.

It's something this parent made the call for in 2021:

​Now three years later, Cat Haxby welcomes the findings but says she's disappointed things are not in place yet:

In 2022, a Garff MHK also questioned why there wasn't provision to help children on the Island.

Daphne Caine told Manx Radio Ms Brunner's recommendations make her feel vindicated as she also called for more support for long Covid services for young people.

For a number of years, Juan Corlett has campaigned for a support service to be set up for patients with ME - a condition which has been compared to long Covid.

He told Manx Radio although there is an ME/CFS and long Covid service on the Island, it's only for adults, so young sufferers haven't had adequate support and should be prioritised.

The 3,600-page report is due to be laid before Tynwald in February.