A podcast looking at the potential neurological impact of Covid-19 (Coronavirus) with experts Dr Ava Easton and Dr Mark Ellul.

This podcast was recorded on Tuesday, April 14.

1m 50s - We are hearing in the media of people with neurological symptoms also testing positive for COVID-19. What can you tell us about this?

4m 15s - There have been emerging reports of a patient in Wuhan being diagnosed with encephalitis as a result of COVID-19, and another patient diagnosed with acute necrotising encephalopathy. Does this mean COVID-19 is causing encephalitis in some people?

7m 31s -We know the symptoms of COVID-19 are a dry cough and a fever. What are the symptoms when someone has COVID-19 and their brain is being affected?

9m 9s - Are there different forms of COVID-19? For example, a respiratory form, a neurological form, and a cardio form or is COVID-19 all one form with a wide range of symptoms in some patients?

10m 54s -If someone thinks they have COVID-19 and are developing neurological symptoms in addition what should they do?

12m 29s -Does having neurological symptoms with COVID-19 mean people are at risk of a more severe disease?

13m 33s - Are children experiencing neurological symptoms as a result of COVID-19 in some cases?

14m 52s - There seemed to be few reports of neurological symptoms in China, but there seemed to be more reports from the later countries to experience it. And I have been interested that there seem to be more men affected than women.  Is there a genetic or race/ethnicity component to COVID-19?

17m 20s - Some chronic neurological conditions have been included on the list of who constitutes a vulnerable or at risk person. We know from talking to Professor Solomon and Doctor Turtle in our last podcast that people affected by encephalitis and who are receiving immunosuppressive treatments should be considered vulnerable, or at higher risk. Does that advice remain the same or has anything changed in relation to encephalitis?

18m 23s - Some reports in the media are likening neurology in COVID-19 with encephalitis lethargica, a form of encephalitis prevalent in the late 1800s and early 1900s which affected many thousands of patients around the world and of course was made famous by Oliver Sacks’ book Awakenings, and subsequent film of the same name. Is there any connection?

21m 20s - Are people who have had encephalitis once, and who catch COVID-19 more likely to experience neurological symptoms?

22m 20s - I believe in order to successfully defeat COVID-19 we need either herd immunity or a vaccine. How close are we to achieving either of these?

24m 37s - As we bring this podcast to a close is there anything else that you'd like to say?

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