What We Know About Long COVID, From Brain Fog to Fatigue

Short Wave

NPR

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4.7 • 6K Ratings

🗓️ 13 March 2024

⏱️ 16 minutes

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Summary

"Long COVID has affected every part of my life," said Virginia resident Rachel Beale said at a recent Senate hearing. "I wake up every day feeling tired, nauseous and dizzy. I immediately start planning when I can lay down again." Beale is far from alone. Many of her experiences have been echoed by others dealing with long COVID. It's a constellation of debilitating symptoms that range from brain fog and intense physical fatigue to depression and anxiety. But there's new, promising research that sheds light onto some symptoms. NPR health correspondent Will Stone talks with Short Wave host Regina G. Barber about the state of long COVID research — what we know, what we don't and when we can expect treatments or even cures for it. Have more COVID questions you want us to cover? Email us at [email protected] — we'd love to hear from you.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Black perspectives haven't always been centered in the telling of America's story.
0:05.0	Now we're taking center stage.
0:08.0	Introducing NPR's Black Stories, Black Truths,
0:12.0	a collection of Black-led stories from NPR's podcasts.
0:15.9	Search NPR Black Stories, Black Truths, wherever you get your podcasts.
0:23.0	You're listening to Shortwave from NPR.
0:28.0	Hey everyone, it's Regina Barbara here and I'm with NPR's health correspondent Will Stone.
0:33.0	Hey, Will.
0:34.0	Hey, Gina.
0:35.0	Okay, so about four years ago, scientists at the CDC discovered the first COVID case in the U.S.
0:40.0	I do remember this, Will, because I was living in Washington State at the time and so were you and you're on the ground covering this story
0:47.3	That's right this was pre vaccine pre-masked days. it was a very different reality.
0:53.7	At the time, we didn't really know a lot about the virus itself,
0:56.8	and we'd learn a lot over the next four years.
0:59.5	But there's still one big mystery eluding scientists, and that's long COVID. Okay so long COVID that's
1:05.4	the diagnosis that can happen after somebody's gotten COVID-19 and it can last for
1:09.9	months and even years. Exactly it can really upend people's lives.
1:14.0	I was watching a Senate hearing about long COVID.
1:16.7	And I was really struck by one person who spoke about it.
1:19.8	Rachel Beal, she lives in Virginia and she's had Long COVID for almost three years.
1:24.6	I had a very full life before I got sick.
1:27.0	Long COVID has affected every part of my life now.
	...

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