PEOPLE affected by Long Covid in Crewe could have to travel to Liverpool to be assessed.

While research is still ongoing assessing the extent of the post-Covid syndrome, sufferers report being affected by fatigue, shortness of breath, brain fog and fevers beyond a 12-week period

Health chiefs are developing a Long Covid pathway, which will include and an assessment hub in Liverpool, for patients in Cheshire as well as Merseyside.

The initiative, revealed at a meeting of the Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), came under fire from board member and GP Lesley Appleton who said the location of the centre was too far for many Cheshire residents to travel to.

A report to the meeting said that "one percent of patients with Covid-19 are estimated to have symptoms after 12 weeks of developing the illness."

But Ms Appleton said she believed that that the figure is closer to "one in ten".

In response, Tracey Cole, the CCG's executive director of strategy and partnership, said: "There are options for our patients to have virtual access to clinics. We have got that commission in place.

"I think it is early days to evaluate that but the principles are key to make sure we know it will be successful."

A more in-depth report will be presented to the Cheshire CCG's governing body at its next meeting in May.