A BRADFORD district man says he feels "utterly exhausted just by being alive" as a result of Long Covid.
On Monday, Darren Parkinson announced he had stepped down as a Green Party councillor on Shipley Town Council on health grounds - saying Long Covid meant he could no longer carry out his duties as an elected representative.
It came weeks after he revealed Long Covid had cost him his 20-year job as a learning disability nurse for the NHS.
Mr Parkinson, 49, of Shipley, told the Telegraph & Argus he had been left "devastated" - and urged the Government to "properly fund research to find treatments for Long Covid".
The Government said it was "committed to ensuring there are quality services for people suffering with Long Covid in every part of the country".
According to the NHS, Long Covid refers to the long-term effects of Covid-19.
It can affect people of all ages, with symptoms includingextreme tiredness, muscle aches, difficulty concentrating and shortness of breath.
Living with Long Covid since 2021
Mr Parkinson was on Shipley Town Council since its creation in 2020.
Announcing his resignation as a councillor, Mr Parkinson said: "It is with great reluctance that I have taken the decision to resign from Shipley Town Council on health grounds.
"I have been suffering from Long Covid since 2021.
"In late-2023, my health deteriorated to the extent that I now rarely leave the house due to the extreme fatigue that Long Covid causes me.
"I had hoped that with rest and time my health would improve.
"While I have seen some small improvements, these are not sufficient to enable me to carry out normal day-to-day activities, let alone carry out my duties as a town councillor.
"I have concluded, therefore, that I am not, at this time, able to carry out my responsibilities to my community as a town councillor and must resign from my position.
"In the longer-term, I hope to make a full recovery, but as Long Covid is still a poorly understood disease with no available treatments, I do not know when this will be.
"I need to dedicate what energy I have to my recovery, my home life and my family."
Darren says he feels 'utterly exhausted just by being alive' due to Long Covid (Image: Newsquest/Mike Simmonds) He said he felt "incredibly proud" of everything he had achieved as a councillor.
Mr Parkinson added: "I would like to thank my fellow councillors and town council staff for all their work helping make Shipley an even better place to live, and for their support to me during my illness.
"I hope to be able to return to public duties in the future but, in the meantime, I will do what I can to stand up for, and promote, Shipley, and to support local environmental and community action online, from my home, as my health allows."
Mr Parkinson subsequently told the T&A: "I'd like to thank everyone who has been in touch since I announced my resignation.
"I've been overwhelmed by the kind words of support from people in Shipley and beyond.
"Just before Christmas, I lost my job because of my illness.
"I worked for nearly 20 years for the NHS, working with disabled children and their families.
"I was devastated to have lost my job to Long Covid.
"There are currently no treatments for Long Covid.
"The Government must commit to properly fund research to find treatments for Long Covid.
"This must be done with urgency for the two million people in the UK whose lives continue to be affected by this dreadful disease."
'I am utterly exhausted'
Mr Parkinson explained what living with Long Covid is like.
"My body feels like it has been poisoned - like the virus is still coursing through my veins," he said.
"Simple tasks around the house or walking a short distance feel like I have just run a marathon.
"I am utterly exhausted just by being alive."
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "Our thoughts go out to Mr Parkinson.
"Long Covid can have a debilitating impact on people's physical and mental health, and we are committed to ensuring there are quality services for people suffering with Long Covid in every part of the country.
"We intend to publish a Final Delivery Plan which will focus on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people for conditions including Long Covid."