TLC Sessions - Living with Long Covid Episode 29: Anthony Leonardi - How Covid damages our T cells
Feb 22, 2022
In this engaging discussion, Dr. Anthony Leonardi, a T cell expert and Master of Public Health student at Johns Hopkins, uncovers alarming links between COVID-19 and T cell damage. He reveals how every infection could impair our immune defenses, leading to increased autoimmune risks, especially in Long Covid patients. The conversation stresses the urgent need for public health initiatives to prevent mass disability, highlighting the critical differences between vaccine and natural infection effects on T cell health. Leonardi's insights challenge how we understand and mitigate ongoing COVID-19 impacts.
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Personal Long COVID Heart Symptoms
- Noreen describes weeks of chest pain and palpitations after recent COVID and trying treatments like colchicine and ivabradine.
- Her palpitations improved temporarily but then returned, illustrating relapsing symptoms.
T Cells Versus Antibodies
- T cells kill infected cells while B cells make antibodies; both are needed to control viruses like SARS-CoV-2.
- Anthony Leonardi emphasizes prevention (barriers, masks) to avoid relying on exhausted T cells.
Prevent Infection, Don't Rely On Recovery
- Use airborne mitigations and barriers like masks and ventilation to prevent infection.
- Prevent infection rather than rely on immune recovery to avoid long-term T cell damage.