Long Covid: The millions left behind
“It’s not just in your head,” said Zeynep Tufekci in The New York Times. For an estimated 12 to 20 percent of people who get Covid, some symptoms can linger for more than three months— a syndrome known as long Covid. For a smaller percentage, long Covid can be debilitating, with such symptoms as fatigue, exercise intolerance, brain fog, digestive problems, nerve tingling, chest pain, a rapid heart rate, and depression. Much like other post-viral illnesses, such as chronic fatigue syndrome, long Covid is not well understood and thus is frequently dismissed as a conversion disorder—“the historic catchall for, ‘It’s in your head, dear.’” But a new study reveals that 16 million people in the U.S. are suffering from long Covid and up to 4 million remain out of work, worsening the country’s labor shortage. With no proven treatment available, we need to establish a dedicated national institute for long Covid. Then “we could honestly tell so many looking for answers that help is on the way.”
But the first step must be “demystifying the biology of long Covid,” said Eric Topol in the Los Angeles Times. The vast majority of people who get long Covid are just 30 to 50 years old and previously healthy. For these unlucky souls, Covid triggers “an immune response that has gone haywire,” with antibodies attacking the body. The result is inflammation and hormonal disruptions; it is also possible there is a hidden reservoir of virus. Dozens of small trials are underway to test drugs or supplements that may alleviate symptoms, but “what can we do about long Covid” while suffering people await treatments? “First off, drop the skepticism and denial.”
The Biden administration has at least done that, said The Washington Post editorial board. Last month, the government released a plan for tackling the long-term effects of Covid, and it “makes the point that long Covid is real, but the impact is not yet fully grasped.” With more than 80,000 new cases of the syndrome reported daily in the U.S., the condition could further deplete the workforce and strain the health-care system. Meanwhile, said Ryan Prior and Kimberly Knackstedt in Stat News, most Americans have dropped all precautions and are blindly ignoring the risks of getting Covid infections. But “the pandemic rages on, etching itself further into the lives of millions of long haulers.”