Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
20% Of Previously-Infected Adults Could Get Long Covid, CDC Says
The New York Times: 1 In 5 Adult Covid Survivors In The U.S. May Develop Long Covid, Says CDC
One in five adult Covid survivors under the age of 65 in the United States has experienced at least one health condition that could be considered long Covid, according to a large new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among patients 65 and older, the number is even higher: one in four. (Belluck, 5/24)
San Francisco Chronicle: Who’s At Risk For Long COVID? Huge Survey Of 100,000 People Contains New Clues
Results from a new survey of more than 100,000 COVID-19 survivors released Tuesday by the personal genetics company 23andMe offer further evidence of a biological cause for the persistent, sometimes debilitating syndrome known as long COVID. Although 23andMe is best known for analyzing customers’ DNA samples, the new study did not look at DNA. Rather, it collected thousands of survey responses from among the company’s genetic testing customers that shine light on who is most at risk for post-COVID problems. The results underscore what earlier, smaller studies have found, researchers said, and even contain new clues about what may be causing the confounding symptoms, which range from body aches to brain fog to chronic fatigue. (Asimov, 5/24)
NPR: Long COVID's Underlying Causes Still Elusive In New Study
Doctors combed through the volunteers' medical records looking for anything that might predispose them to the lingering health problems that later would be called long COVID, symptoms like fatigue, headaches, and shortness of breath. The researchers also put the subjects through more than 130 tests for any signs their vital organs were damaged, that the virus was still hiding in their bodies, or their immune systems were malfunctioning. On Tuesday, the scientists released the first results from the study, which is ongoing. The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, compared 189 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 to 120 similar patients who did not get sick. The results are both disappointing and provocative. (Stein, 5/24)
In related news —
The Hill: Employers Are Not Accommodating People Disabled By Long COVID, Activists Tell House Panel
Some people disabled by long COVID-19 are struggling in the workplace, with employers refusing to make accommodations for the new condition, disability activists told a House committee on Tuesday. During a hearing for the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Diversity and Inclusion, witnesses detailed the challenges that disabled people continue to face in accessing financial services, equitable housing and work opportunities. (Choi, 5/24)
New Hampshire Public Radio: For N.H. Residents With Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Long-COVID Doesn’t Look So Unfamiliar
Leah Stagnone used to hold records as a distance runner at Campbell High School in Litchfield. The 26-year-old still tries to pass by when she can, on neighborhood walks with her family dog, Theo. But a few months ago, she got a harsh reminder that she needs to move at a much slower pace than she used to. “I got a little too confident,” Stagnone said, “and I ended up in bed for three days.” Stagnone often feels like she’s sick with the flu. Her head will ache with unrelenting pressure. It can be hard to think straight. Too much physical exertion, including walking, can cause her symptoms to flare up. (Fam, 5/24)
