How is long COVID impacting the day-to-day lives of long-haulers?
“There is no typical post-COVID patient,” said internal medicine specialist Dr. Pete Thomas.
Chronic fatigue, brain fog and heart palpitations are just a few of the symptoms reported by people suffering from long COVID, also known as post-COVID syndrome.
The symptoms can dramatically impact the day-to-day lives of some patients, leaving them unable to work or even to perform basic tasks, but not everyone is affected the same way.
“There is no typical post-COVID patient,” Dr. Pete Thomas told Reset. Thomas, an internal medicine specialist at Howard Brown Health, said chronic fatigue and brain fog are the most commonly reported symptoms, but “almost every organ system that you can think of — from the GI tract to the brain — [are] all impacted.”
Estimates by the CDC suggest six to 10 percent of Americans who contracted COVID-19 are still experiencing long COVID symptoms.
While researchers are trying to understand why some people develop post-COVID conditions and others don’t, some groups that appear to be uniquely vulnerable to long COVID symptoms include:
unvaccinated people
diabetic people
people with autoimmune disorders
people with Epstein-Barr virus
The Biden administration recently announced resources for long COVID patients and stated that the disease can be considered a disability under federal guidelines.
To provide precise care to people suffering from long COVID, researchers emphasize the importance of identifying long COVID subtypes and appropriate treatments for each one.
Dr. Pete Thomas from Howard Brown Health recommends going to see your primary care doctor and visiting a long COVID specialized clinic if you are experiencing long COVID symptoms.
To hear our full conversation about how long COVID advocates are organizing to provide care to survivors, press the button at the top of the page.
Claire Hyman is a digital engagement producer at WBEZ. Follow her @hyimclaire.
More From
Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons
How is long COVID impacting the day-to-day lives of long-haulers?
“There is no typical post-COVID patient,” said internal medicine specialist Dr. Pete Thomas.
Chronic fatigue, brain fog and heart palpitations are just a few of the symptoms reported by people suffering from long COVID, also known as post-COVID syndrome.
The symptoms can dramatically impact the day-to-day lives of some patients, leaving them unable to work or even to perform basic tasks, but not everyone is affected the same way.
“There is no typical post-COVID patient,” Dr. Pete Thomas told Reset. Thomas, an internal medicine specialist at Howard Brown Health, said chronic fatigue and brain fog are the most commonly reported symptoms, but “almost every organ system that you can think of — from the GI tract to the brain — [are] all impacted.”
Estimates by the CDC suggest six to 10 percent of Americans who contracted COVID-19 are still experiencing long COVID symptoms.
While researchers are trying to understand why some people develop post-COVID conditions and others don’t, some groups that appear to be uniquely vulnerable to long COVID symptoms include:
unvaccinated people
diabetic people
people with autoimmune disorders
people with Epstein-Barr virus
The Biden administration recently announced resources for long COVID patients and stated that the disease can be considered a disability under federal guidelines.
To provide precise care to people suffering from long COVID, researchers emphasize the importance of identifying long COVID subtypes and appropriate treatments for each one.
Dr. Pete Thomas from Howard Brown Health recommends going to see your primary care doctor and visiting a long COVID specialized clinic if you are experiencing long COVID symptoms.
To hear our full conversation about how long COVID advocates are organizing to provide care to survivors, press the button at the top of the page.
Claire Hyman is a digital engagement producer at WBEZ. Follow her @hyimclaire.
More From
Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons