Dear EditorExcellent review and so needed and well-timedThe only issue that did not get the attention it needs are the neuropsychiatric symptoms of mild COVID-19. This is important for medical professionals to know, to avoid labeling the patients' problems as psychiatric and even hysterical as some recently did in a major newspaper here in Belgium.There are two sides to the mental sequelae of mild COVID.a) the consequences of the impact of going through a global pandemic, of lockdown, of COVID patients in their immediate environment, of the fear of infection or infecting others, of losing their job, and finally of their own infection.b) the mental symptoms of an organic disorder.In the subject literature about COIVD-19 (and MERS, SARS and other infections) several mechanisms are mentioned.-A direct neurotropic impact of the virus, especially, but not only via ACE2, both in neurons and glial cells, especially targeting the brain stem which plays a role in emotions. and brought there, among other things, via the direct connection of the olfactory bulb.-Inflammatory and immune reactions that result in cognitive and psychiatric symptoms:(the "misty brain" cited by many patients)-Reactions of the autonomic nervous system, eg cardiac arrhythmias can also be very scary.-Alteration of the gas exchange -oxygen nd carbon dioxide- due to damage to the alveoli resulting in a suboptimal pH.These results in mental symptoms of an organic disorder: memory problems, word finding disorders, confusion, major sleeping problems, insecure motor skills, anorexia, etc. and of course very often chronic fatigue, muscle weakness and anxiety.Of course, fear or anger of the patient are amplified when the doctor labels this as purely psychological, while the patient who has never been ill before, clearly experiences its not.

Because we have only known the disease for six months and we still know so little about it, it is therefore better to take the experiences of the patients seriously, instead of brushing them off as purely psychological or psychiatric.

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Re: Management of post-acute covid-19 in primary care - The BMJ

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