POST COVID-19 Dealing with the Long Covid

Written by:  PROVISION
Three years ago when the Covid-19 pandemic first afflicted the globe, no one thought it would impact the world as it has.  Scientists were scrambling to make a vaccine that would help save lives and once they accomplished that, boosters were next.  As people around the world would recover from this illness, it was unknown what was next.  Years later, people are still suffering from ongoing symptoms of Covid-19.  Post-acute conditions of COVID-19 (PASC), is also known as, “long Covid.”

Individuals that have Covid-19 normally get better in a few days to a few weeks after infection.  According to research, the virus can now infect various parts of the body and linger in the organs.  This idea may provide evidence about the persisting illness of “long Covid” and indicate why it can be a real problem for many, including the health-care system, for some time to come. 
An estimate of at least 65 million people are living with long-term Covid, and the numbers are rising every day.  It is often a debilitating illness that occurs in at least 10% of severe acute cases.  In August of 2022, the Department of Health and Human Services reported that “no laboratory test can definitively distinguish post-COVID conditions from other causes.”  However, long Covid or PASC can be defined as symptoms that linger or progress after the initial infection, lasting more than a few months.  Conditions can include, but are not limited to: trouble breathing, stubborn cough, tiredness, headaches, sleeping problems, anxiety, heart palpitations, cognitive dysfunction, stomach problems and other conditions that interfere with everyday activities.
We don’t know why people go through prolonged periods of Covid and research is still ongoing.  There are doctors and scientists who consider that the cause could simply be the body’s response to a new germ.

Common symptoms in children include pain in the muscles and joints, fatigue, difficulty sleeping or focusing, cough, and headaches.  Oftentimes, it can be difficult for young children to describe these symptoms.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to gather information, so there could still be other symptoms in younger groups. 

​If you think you or someone you know are dealing with long Covid, talk to a doctor immediately.  Currently, doctors have no medication or therapy for treatment, but they can give you the best advice on how to manage your symptoms.