Revisiting long COVID in Middle Tennessee

Many people, media outlets and even major health organizations have deemed the COVID-19 pandemic a thing of the past. But for those living with Long Covid, that’s far from true.

On May 5, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the end of the global Public Health Emergency for the pandemic. That was a cause for celebration for most, but many Covid long-haulers felt even more marginalized and forgotten than before. It’s currently estimated that 1 in 5 American adults who had an initial infection end up experiencing long COVID. The initial diagnosis requires symptoms to last three months or longer, but some long-haulers are experiencing symptoms a full 3 years later.

Researchers and physicians rush to understand the illness so that patients can receive the help they need. Six months after our first episode on long COVID, we revisit the topic to see what advancements have been made and what patients are now experiencing. 

But first, we respond to your feedback in our weekly @ Us segment!

This episode was produced by Elizabeth Burton

Guests:  

• Andrea Roberts, Senior Research Scientist at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
• Frank Ziegler, COVID long-hauler
• Dr. Jim Jackson, Director of Behavioral Health at the ICU Recovery Center at Vanderbilt University Medical Center
• Kathy Kelley, COVID long-hauler
• Leisa Hammett, COVID long-hauler

Related reading:

• Living with long COVID in Middle Tennessee [This Is Nashville]
• Is Long COVID Linked to Mental Illness? [Slate]
• Millions of people have long COVID brain fog — and there’s a shortage of answers [NPR]