KPBS (San Diego):
'The isolating and endless journey through long COVID'
'Long COVID has left lasting impacts on individuals' health and daily lives, but for many, it's still an invisible struggle — undiagnosed, untreated and often misunderstood.'
(12 min audio)
Excerpts:
"...one woman told me it's been a long, lonely journey and they're suffering in silence."
"A lot of people, you know, have different symptoms. Some have brain fog...some have cardiac issues and they can't tolerate physical activity. I spoke with one doctor who a few minutes, you know, on the playground with his kids, sends them to bed for about 14 hours."
'The closure of the Federal Office for Long COVID research is a big blow. That office was coordinating national efforts, and losing it risks slowing progress, stalling clinical trials and delaying answers that these patients desperately need..so some of the folks that I spoke with, they just feel forgotten by the system. And these cuts reinforce that feeling."
"They're trying to work, care for families or just get out of bed. And many aren't being properly diagnosed. So these stories help put a human face on what can feel like a distance issue and helps these people feel less invisible."
"They hope for research that leads to real answers and a system that doesn't make them fight so hard for care."