Two posts on LinkedIn that answer common #COVID19 questions using new research:
Post 1:
Why don't you know more people with Long COVID, if it's reportedly so common?
Is COVID really "over" and now just a minor endemic acute illness?
Post 2:
Should we care about the economic impact of Long COVID?
Estimated Burden of COVID-19 Illnesses, Medical Visits, Hospitalizations, and Deaths | Augie Ray
Recent research answer some key questions about #COVID19 and Long COVID risks. Why don't you know more people with Long COVID, if it's reportedly so common? Is COVID really "over" and now just a minor endemic acute illness? Let's dive into the research and the answers: Why don't you know more people with Long COVID, if it's reportedly so common? Many research studies have found Long COVID is fairly common, impacting anywhere from 10% to 30% of people infected. So, why then do you know so few people with Long COVID? One reason is that Long COVID symptoms often resolve over the course of months. Another is that people tend to discount their chronic symptoms, often chalking them up to aging rather than infection. However, there's also a crucial societal and economic factor at play. Studies find that Long COVID rates are higher for people with lower incomes, more food instability, and less access to healthcare. Other studies indicate that those in frontline jobs (healthcare, restaurants, transit) have higher risks than those in office jobs. That does not, by and large, describe my LinkedIn network, and I doubt it does yours, either. For example, a recently published study of Long COVID in children found that economic instability increased the risk of Long COVID by 1.57 to 2.39x. https://lnkd.in/gn6eNWWj Long COVID remains a pressing issue for many, although it might not be evident to you based on your network. Is COVID really "over" and now just a minor endemic acute illness? A week ago, I posted an article with research-based facts of COVID, including that it continues to surge multiple times a year, that each reinfection accumulates additional risk of Long COVID, and that COVID is known to leave a lasting impact on our brains, neurons, blood vessels, immune systems, and other organs. https://lnkd.in/gq56HD-8 However, even though it doesn't make headlines, acute COVID is still a fairly serious problem. COVID still causes significant levels of hospitalization and death. The problem is that we've stopped effectively tracking COVID data. The CDC reported just 20,000 COVID deaths in the last year, but we know US reporting is far from complete. A new study found that, even in 2023 and 2024, COVID killed more than 100,000 Americans. That means COVID is more than twice as deadly as gun violence (both homicides and suicides together) or auto fatalities. And, even in these so-called "post-pandemic" years, COVID is still hospitalizing almost 1 million Americans each year. https://lnkd.in/gwSPuFGQ If this doesn't match what you see in your network, once again, it may be because COVID impacts others more. Although individuals 65 years and older are less than 20% of the population, the study found they accounted for 67.5% of COVID hospitalizations and 81.3% of deaths in 2023/24. COVID is still a concern, and preventing infections is sensible. That doesn't mean isolation, but it does mean smarter decisions when COVID is surging--as it is today.
