HEALTHY LIVING


The Mysteries of Long COVID What doctors know — and still don’t know — about this baf ling condition. :: BY CHRIS ILIADES I


t started as a social media movement. Before doctors recognized that many people continued


to have COVID-19 symptoms long after they tested positive for the virus, these people were gathering online to discuss their symptoms and experiences. Soon, the media picked up on


this movement and the name “long haulers” was being used to describe these patients. Eventually, the World Health


Organization (WHO) acknowledged that some COVID-19 survivors were continuing to have symptoms, even some people who were never hospitalized. WHO mentioned heart, lung, and


neurological symptoms and fatigue. Today these post-COVID-19


symptoms are usually referred to as long COVID, and Congress has allocated over $1 billion for researchers to solve its mystery. Doctors don’t know why some


people get it, what causes it, or how to treat it.


82 NEWSMAX MAXLIFE | APRIL 2022 The offi cial name for long COVID


is post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC). “It is ongoing, returning, or new symptoms in people who tested positive for COVID four or more weeks earlier,” says Frank Coletta, M.D., chief of critical care at Mount Sinai, South Nassau, New York. For most people, an active COVID-


19 infection lasts about two weeks. After this, a blood test will show that they are COVID-19 negative. It is now obvious that roughly


one-third of these COVID-19 negative patients will have COVID-19-related symptoms 12 weeks later and beyond. Although long COVID is not fatal,


it can adversely aff ect quality of life and may be disabling for some people. Nobody knows exactly how many people have long COVID, but a recent


review published by the Infectious Diseases Society of America estimates that 23% of people who test positive for COVID-19 will go on to develop long COVID. Other estimates are higher. “From my experience, the number


is probably between 30% and 50%,” says Coletta. Even if we go with the lower number, that means many millions of Americans are dealing with long COVID.


WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most common symptoms are fatigue, shortness of breath, cough, joint pain, and chest pain. Long COVID is more common


in people who had more severe COVID-19.


Women are at higher risk than men for long COVID. Older age is another risk factor. The risk of long COVID goes up for every decade of age, although long COVID has also been reported in about 10% of children.


IZUSEK©ISTOCK


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