While many of us tend to view COVID from the rearview mirror, new evidence suggests that we should protect ourselves from the very real complications of long COVID. A recent article by Frances Stead Sellers shares scientific results that sheds new light on the respiratory illness and provides sound advice to help prevent us from getting long covid (“Even 4 years on, long covid continues to confound us. Here’s what we now know,” the Washington Post, 2 January 2024).
Four years ago, we knew very little about the coronavirus, and nothing about “long COVID.” And more recently, those of us who were fortunate enough not to get long COVID were somewhat skeptical of those who did. But thanks to the work of researchers, the diligence of healthcare providers, and the transparency from patients, we now have evidence about long COVID. In September, the journal Nature published a study proving that people with long COVID developed distinct blood biomarkers, providing objective evidence that legitimizes long COVID and proves that it is not a facet of the patient’s imagination. Most importantly, as highlighted by the study’s lead author, David Putrino, the study sent a strong message to doctor’s – “Believe your patient!”
Frances Stead Sellers provides several other interesting facts surrounding the risks of long COVID:
• Long COVID, also referred to as post-acute sequelae of covid (PASC) and post-covid conditions (PCC), creates as many as 200 different symptoms
• Symptoms associated with long COVID can last weeks, months, and even years
• Long COVID appears to reactivate some viruses, such as mononucleosis and Epstein-Barr
• The most common symptoms of long COVID include fatigue, dizziness, gastrointestinal symptoms, heart palpitations and issues with sexual desire
• Approximately 7 percent of Americans report having long COVID with 3.4 percent, or 8.8 million people in the United States, reporting that they are currently experiencing long COVID
• While 2.3 percent of men report having experienced long COVID, nearly twice as many women (4.4 percent) have had long COVID
• Repeat infections of COVID increase the risk of developing long COVID
• People who contracted earlier forms of COVID were more likely to develop long COVID than those who were infected with the more recent omicron version
• While there are no approved treatments for long COVID, doctors work to manage patients’ symptoms, such as treating respiratory problems with pulmonary rehabilitation and brain fog with strategies typically used for concussion patients.
While it feels easy to be complacent, COVID hospitalizations and deaths are on the rise, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting COVID being the third largest cause of death in the U.S. To reduce your risk of developing long COVID, keep your vaccination updated, wear a mask, and avoid crowded, poorly ventilated areas. Also ensure that you have rapid antigen COVID-19 tests at home in case you get sick. You can get them free from the USPS. If you do get COVID, discuss the option of an antiviral medication, such as Paxlovid, with your doctor to help lower your risk of developing long COVID.
The good news, as Frances Stead Sellers points out, is that the risk of developing long COVID appears to be decreasing, as the virus continues to provoke a less aggressive immune response.