Long COVID: What we’re learning about pathogens and chronic illness goes beyond COVID-19

Tiny Matters

Send us a Text Message.

On March 11, 2020, after over 118,000 cases of COVID-19 had been reported in 114 countries, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. The term Long COVID began popping up across the globe shortly after. People with Long COVID experience any combination of a huge number of symptoms that range from gastrointestinal issues to brain fog to extreme exhaustion and an inability to do what were once pretty simple tasks like getting dressed, preparing meals, or even getting out of bed.
Although we have a ways to go before we understand a disease as complex as Long COVID, over the last few years scientists have made significant research strides and the millions of people suffering from Long COVID have brought light to health conditions including ME/CFS, that many people didn’t previously realize existed. In this episode, you’ll hear from an ME/CFS researcher, a Long COVID patient about her difficult and winding experience to understand what was happening in her body following a COVID infection, and a journalist and author who recently wrote a book on Long COVID.
Here's a link to Ryan Prior's book, The Long Haul: How Long Covid Survivors Are Revolutionizing Health Care. And here's a list of Long COVID resources:

• https://www.covid.gov/be-informed/longcovid
• https://solvecfs.org/solve-long-covid/long-covid-resources/
• https://www.bu.edu/ceid/training-education/long-covid-resources/
• https://longcovidalliance.org/

Tiny Matters has a YouTube channel! Full-length audio episodes can be found here. And to see video of Sam, Deboki, and episode guests, check out Tiny Matters YouTube shorts here!

Links to the Tiny Show & Tell stories are here and here. Want to watch Sam talk about the (proposed) connection between lead and the fall of the Roman Empire? Watch that video here. Pick up a Tiny Matters mug here! All Tiny Matters transcripts are available here.

Chapters

1. Long COVID: What we’re learning about pathogens and chronic illness goes beyond COVID-19 (00:00:00)

2. Understanding Long COVID and Its Impact (00:00:02)

3. Long COVID as a Disability (00:05:40)

4. Long COVID's Persistent Viral Effects (00:20:47)

5. Navigating Long COVID Treatment and Advocacy (00:27:37)

6. Beethoven's Hair; Weight Loss Ablation (00:40:02)