Why are you involved in Altea's Expert Board?
I was already working with lung patients before Covid, so I have a network in this field. Kaba Dalla Lana came to me directly to ask whether I’d be interested in joining the Expert Board. I was happy to say yes.
What is your professional relationship to Long COVID?
People with Long COVID often complain of breathing difficulties and lung problems. As a Lung Physiotherapist at the Winterthur Cantonal Hospital, I already specialized in lung diseases prior to the Covid pandemic. I was involved in studies looking at COPD patients, for example, and I’ve worked with patients with other lung diseases. One thing they all have in common is that they require therapy. That’s why I’ve been looking intensively at the effects of Covid on the body ever since the start of the pandemic, at both a clinical and a scientific level.
Particularly in the case of hospitalized patients who were on ventilation, there’s a long-term risk of developing problems with the lungs. Our aim is to identify these people as early as possible and provide them with the best possible support. Because Long COVID patients often have more than just one symptom, it’s very important to talk to other therapists, such as those who specialize in Fatigue.
“We try to offer targeted therapy options.”
What is your experience with Long COVID so far?
I was dealing with Covid patients very early on in the pandemic. Around 100 patients were hospitalized at the Winterthur Cantonal Hospital during the first wave, and we conducted a study on these patients with an interprofessional team: The patients were contacted and examined a few weeks, three months and twelve months after hospitalization, and therapy was offered if necessary. The aim was to detect and alleviate any long-term consequences as early as possible, and it provided us with direct feedback from people who had already been treated on the acute care ward.
An internal path was later developed on the basis of these findings. Even people who hadn’t been hospitalized came to see the pulmonologists at the Long COVID clinic, giving me a direct link to these patients as well. And of course, an indirect link too thanks to the discussions involved. We try to offer targeted therapy options. The requirements vary a lot from patient to patient: From the provision of information to the progression and management of symptoms such as fatigue and shortness of breath, through to psychological integration in the IPW (Integrated Psychiatry Winterthur), nutrition advice, breathing exercises and physiotherapy. The key is to find the best treatment option for each individual patient.
“The environment plays a key role in a patient’s recovery.”
How do you see the future with regards to Long COVID?
With Long COVID, there’s a lot we still don’t know, such as why the symptoms are so different. This is why continued research is so important.
Long COVID isn’t going anywhere, but overall I’m optimistic about the situation. We’re seeing a lot of patients doing well, with their environment playing a central role. To give one example: A single mother who works, takes care of the housework and looks after her child will find it hard to get any rest. This will make it more difficult to recover from Long COVID. Nevertheless, we're only seeing very few patients from the first wave who are still suffering with long-term consequences. Most are making progress – but it takes time.
What are you enthusiastic about as a private person?
I used to play ice hockey at a professional level – but these days you’re more likely to find me on the golf course. I’m a big fan of southern Italy and I love going on vacation there when I have time.
Spencer Rezek is a Respiratory Physiotherapist at the Winterthur Cantonal Hospital. He therefore specializes in lung diseases and the associated therapy options. His field of activity covers both clinical and scientific areas.
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