A TAUNTON businessman has spoken of his daily battle with Long Covid - 18 months after he was struck down with the coronavirus.

Howard Millington, 53, believes medics saved his life after he became seriously ill and was admitted to Musgrove Park Hospital early last year.

Although he is out of danger, he is still struggling with the after effects and is putting his faith in a revolutionary treatment being offered by a charity.

"I feel drunk when I get up in the morning. My eyes are glazed and I'm quite forgetful," said Howard, who lives in Staplegrove.

"As the day goes by I just become like a zombie by 2pm.

"They say it's because there's not enough oxygen going to my brain."

Howard, who runs a number of businesses, including go karts, fencing and garden machinery, had been training for a charity boxing match when he caught Covid.

"I was in Musgrove for a while," he said.

"They did a good job and I was given tablets by AstraZeneca, which probably saved my life.

"After that, it took me a couple of months to be able to walk properly.

"It was a further couple of months before I could put my words together properly. I'm still struggling sometimes now.

"When I'm talking, what I try to say doesn't always come out. At other times, I say what I'm thinking even if it's not appropriate. I can't help it, but I do think afterwards, 'Why did I say that?'

"I really don't care about anything, which is awful.

"I've lost any sense of compassion. I haven't got any enthusiasm.

"I can't sleep. I'm looking at the clock and it's 2am, 3am, 4am and I'm thinking I've got to get up in a moment."

Howard believes help is at hand after reading up about American research into oxygen therapy, which claims to have helped people shake off Long Covid.

He added: "They say it can repair you."

He has signed up for an appointment to see if he is suitable for oxygen therapy at a clinic in Warminster.

"It involves sitting in an oxygen chamber for an hour every day for a whole month.

"It's not available on the NHS but I'm hoping it will make me better.

"I'm looking forward to starting on the course to see if it works."