Thread by @LinnJarte

1/9 Thread on the narrative around #longcovid

Commonly, the narrative around long covid is that we need to ‘understand how long the condition lasts’. I find that concerning.

2/9 It implies that #longcovid is a condition that will self-resolve with time, i.e. medical intervention is not needed. But we do not know this, which makes it a dangerous assumption.

3/9 If anything, @resiapretorius’s work on microclots and platelet hyperactivation suggests otherwise. New organ damage, occurring at any point during the disease process - including many months down the line, also suggests otherwise.

4/9 It perpetuates a view that #pwLC only need rest, rehab and time, and removes focus away from the urgent need for research into its pathophysiology and treatment development.

5/9 Also removing focus away from medical intervention, I believe the #longcovid narrative is too centred around the symptomatology rather than the diagnoses making up the umbrella term long covid.

Focus is on symptom support when it should be on diagnosis and treatment.

6/9 I believe this needs to change. While #pwLC and the medical community impatiently awaits research into the underlying disease mechanism, each individual patient needs appropriate investigations into their clinical presentation.

7/9 There’s plenty we don’t know about #longcovid, but there’s also plenty we do - and this knowledge should not be dismissed but instead put to use.

8/9 POTS, IST, neuropathies, myopericarditis, MVA, mast cell dysfunction, OSA, V/Q mismatch etc…a myriad of diagnoses are being made in #pwLC - when appropriately looked for - allowing for treatments to be initiated. Not a cure, but often a big help.

9/9 The narrative around long covid needs to change. Sympathy and support is highly valued, but what every individual wants - and society needs - is to #treatlongcovid

All #pwLC wants is their lives back. All a world battling a pandemic needs is manpower. Let’s achieve that.

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