Thread by @ScienceUpFirst

Have questions about long COVID? Well we’ve put together a looooong thread to answer them!

Here’s what we know about Long COVID so far.

References at the end!

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#ScienceUpFirst

“Long COVID” is the name coined by patients, often referred to as "long haulers."

Other terms include “post COVID-19 condition” by the WHO and “post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC)” by the CDC.

They all refer to versions of the same condition.

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#ScienceUpFirst

.@GovCanHealth's definition:

“Symptoms persisting or recurring for weeks after acute COVID-19 illness... further broken down into:

- post COVID-19 conditions occurring 4-12 weeks (short term)
- and >12 weeks (long-term) after COVID-19 diagnosis.”

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#ScienceUpFirst

Head, shoulders, knees and toes...

Researchers have identified over 200 different symptoms of Long COVID, in nearly every part of the body. The most common are fatigue, headache, attention issues/brain fog, hair loss, and shortness of breath.

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#ScienceUpFirst

For many, Long COVID has harmed daily life.

71% of participants in a UK study said Long COVID was affecting family life and relationships.

10% said that they were also unable to return to work in the long term.

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#ScienceUpFirst

The WHO estimates that about a quarter of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 — around 150k Canadians — experience Long COVID symptoms for at least a month.

1 in 10 experience symptoms beyond 12 weeks.

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#ScienceUpFirst

Anyone can get Long COVID, even if the original COVID infection didn’t have symptoms.

This includes children (thelancet.com/journals/lanch…).

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#ScienceUpFirst

How does Long COVID happen?

We still don’t know. Here are some potential mechanisms:
- Inflammation from infection
- Viral persistence
- Organ damage from the virus
- Post ICU syndrome after hospital discharge

Want more detail?academic.oup.com/ofid/article/7…

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#ScienceUpFirst

Active research on Long COVID is ongoing.

@CANCOV1 is looking at 1-year outcomes in patients with COVID-19. If you or someone you know is experiencing Long COVID symptoms, you can reach out: cancov.net

Yay, science!

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#ScienceUpFirst

Remember: COVID-19 goes beyond the binary.

It’s not just about died/survived, or positive/negative. There is a huge spectrum of illness within COVID-19. You could land anywhere on it.

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#ScienceUpFirst

It’s not all bad news, though! What we *do* know is that the vaccines are working.

Getting vaccinated cuts your chances of catching COVID. It also reduces your chance of developing Long COVID if you do get infected. What’s not to love?

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#ScienceUpFirst

If you or a loved one is experiencing Long COVID symptoms, talk to your health care provider about how to manage your symptoms.

For more resources, check out:

cancov.net/patient-resour…

phsa.ca/health-info/po…

covidlonghaulcanada.com

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#ScienceUpFirst

Did you find this post useful? Do you still have questions about Long COVID? Let us know!

References: tinyurl.com/LongCovidSUF

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#ScienceUpFirst