Public Health is Dead
Long COVID: The Experts Were Wrong with Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly and Hazie Thompson
Episode guests
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- Long COVID affects around 400 million people globally, often remaining undiagnosed due to inadequate public health messaging about its persistent symptoms.
- Systemic factors, including racism and socioeconomic status, exacerbate the risk of Long COVID, significantly impacting vulnerable communities, especially Black individuals.
- Patient advocacy is crucial for understanding Long COVID, as shared experiences challenge conventional medical narratives and highlight the necessity of accurate awareness in public health.
Deep dives
The Ongoing Impact of COVID-19
The science surrounding COVID-19 continues to evolve, highlighting its persistent effects even after recovery from infection. Many individuals remain unaware of the potential long-lasting impacts known as long COVID, which can manifest as debilitating symptoms affecting daily life. Individuals may not realize they are experiencing long COVID, as public health messaging has largely failed to disseminate information about these ongoing complications. This disconnect has left many in the dark about the reality that COVID-19 can have serious, lasting consequences on health.
The Prevalence of Long COVID
Long COVID is becoming an increasingly recognized condition, with statistics suggesting that around 40% of people who have had multiple COVID-19 infections may develop long-lasting symptoms. This statistic underscores the reality that long COVID can impact a significant portion of the population, yet it remains minimally publicized. The intersection of systemic factors, such as racism and socioeconomic conditions, has led to increased susceptibility among certain communities, particularly Black individuals in precarious work situations. The impact of repeated infections reinforces the need for heightened awareness and better public health communication regarding long COVID.
The Role of Patient Advocacy
Patient advocacy plays a crucial role in shedding light on the realities of long COVID, with voices from the community highlighting experiences that contradict conventional narratives. Individuals like Hazy Thompson have shared their experiences of symptoms and their subsequent journey to inform others through initiatives like The Birch Project. Despite many within the medical community considering long COVID patients' reports as hyperbole, these lived experiences are vital for accurate medical understanding. Amplifying patient voices is essential in shaping public health responses and addressing the needs of those suffering from long COVID.
Public Health Communication Failures
There is a significant gap in public health communication regarding the long-term consequences of COVID-19, as many officials downplay or incorrectly assess the risks associated with reinfection. Missed opportunities for public engagement have left the general populace unaware of the true potential dangers and the broader implications of long COVID. Calls from experts suggest the urgent need for more transparency and accurate reporting to inform individuals about the gravity of ongoing risks they face. Effective public health initiatives should emphasize clear, accessible information to combat misinformation and foster better understanding.
Future Directions in Research and Policy
Going forward, there is a pressing need for enhanced research and policy efforts aimed at understanding and mitigating the impact of long COVID. Suggestions include emphasizing preventive measures, improving vaccine technologies, and conducting clinical trials to explore effective treatments. It is crucial to support policies that address the societal and economic ramifications of long COVID, particularly its impact on social interactions and quality of life. Overall, the next steps must focus on developing a comprehensive approach to managing health outcomes related to COVID-19 and long COVID on a global scale.
Could you have Long COVID and not know it? Possibly, according to a leading Long COVID physician-epidemiologist who explains what the condition is and how it has impacted millions of people around the world. We also meet someone living with Long COVID who shares what the experience has been like for them.
More than 400 million people (and counting) are affected by Long COVID around the world. Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly is a physician-epidemiologist and TIME 100 Health awardee in St. Louis. He is one of the world’s leading Long COVID researchers. As we approach the grim 5th anniversary of the COVID pandemic, he joins Daniella on Public Health is Dead to outline a major public health challenge of our time: If we don't die, what happens to many of us after we survive a COVID infection? Especially if we keep getting reinfected? Dr. Al-Aly explains what listening to patients allows the best researchers to do, addresses some of the common rebuttals to his team’s study data, and shares his recommendations to help turn this public health failure around.
We get to know Hazie Thompson, a former cook who has been living with Long COVID in Toronto since 2020 – they share how the condition has affected them and what they would like healthcare providers to know. The stakes of ignoring Long COVID are high.
People with Long COVID have been dismissed and ignored to everyone’s disadvantage because more people keep joining the ranks. There’s a lot of research. There are a lot of reports. But our public health leaders are pretty quiet about what Long COVID can do to us. Something’s getting lost in translation. And you deserve to know.
TRANSCRIPT HERE
RESOURCES
Experiences of Canadians with long-term symptoms following COVID-19 - Statistics Canada
BIRCH Project (founded by Hazie Thompson)
New York Times op-ed by Fiona Lowenstein and Hannah Davis
Long COVID science, research, and policy by Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly et. al. (2024)
The Sick Times & Long COVID Justice Resource Sheets
Find your nearest Maskbloc on the Worldwide Maskbloc Directory
Looking to help? If you'd like to support Hazie's Gofundme to help navigate living with Long COVID, please find it here.
CREDITS
Public Health is Dead is created, hosted, produced, written and edited by Daniella Barreto
Content editing by Lauren M.
FYI It’s a bad idea for you to take medical advice from podcasts. Good thing Public Health is Dead does not offer medical advice! The point of this show is to share information and experiences that might help public health as a field and increase our collective knowledge. As always, if you have particular medical concerns of your own you should talk to your own medical providers.
MUSIC
Outro music from Epidemic Sound: OTE/Black and White
Freesound:
bass pulse.wav by RichHeard -- https://freesound.org/s/443807/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 3.0
horror ambience 16.wav by klankbeeld -- https://freesound.org/s/137109/ -- License: Attribution 4.0
"CHARLIE BROWN" teacher wa-wa effect by JohnsonBrandEditing -- https://freesound.org/s/243379/ -- License: Creative Commons 0
This is an independent, listener-supported show. If you like what you hear, and you'd like to support production costs for more of Public Health is Dead, visit publichealthisdead.com!
Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts
