Ziyad Al-Aly, MD Profile picture
Aug 9 19 tweets 8 min read Read on X
📢Our review "Long COVID science, research and policy" is out in @NatureMedicine

By @zalaly @ahandvanish @LisaAMcCorkell @leticiasaurus @swulfie @VirusesImmunity @EricTopol

A thread
nature.com/articles/s4159…
In this review, we provide (1) a synthesis of the state of science on Long COVID; (2) assess the impacts of Long COVID on individuals, health systems, the economy & global health metrics; and (3) provide a forward-looking research & policy roadmaps nature.com/articles/s4159…
Image
We begin with a timeline of the history of #LongCovid. We recognize the prescience of the #MECFS community that warned us about what’s to come, the op-ed by @fi_lowenstein in @NYTimes, the first mainstream media piece by @edyong209 in @TheAtlantic & more
nature.com/articles/s4159…
Image
What is Long COVID? It is a complex, multisystem disorder that affects nearly every organ system, including the cardiovascular system, the nervous system, the endocrine system, the immune system, the reproductive system and the gastrointestinal system. nature.com/articles/s4159…
It affects people across the age spectrum (from children to older adults), people of different race and ethnicities, sex and gender, and baseline health status. nature.com/articles/s4159…
How common is Long COVID?
We estimate that the cumulative incidence of Long COVID till the end of 2023 is about 400 million cases – this is a staggeringly high burden.
nature.com/articles/s4159…
Image
Mechanisms of Long COVID include viral persistence, immune dysregulation, mitochondrial dysfunction, complement dysregulation, prothrombotic inflammation and microbiome dysbiosis. Details in our review. nature.com/articles/s4159…
Image
We review the impacts of Long COVID on individuals and communities, health systems, economies, and sustainable development goals (SDGs) nature.com/articles/s4159…
Impact on Individuals: Long COVID severely affects patients' well-being and sense of self. It affects the ability to work, socialize, and perform daily activities, often leading to social exclusion, isolation and stigma, often from medical providers.
nature.com/articles/s4159…
Impact on Economies: Long COVID affects labor participation and productivity, causing significant financial strain on individuals & economies.

We estimate that the annual global economic toll of Long COVID is around $1 trillion or 1% of the global GDP
nature.com/articles/s4159…
This is a significant drag on global economic output and demands the attention of every government on earth.

Addressing Long COVID is not just a health imperative but an economic one.

nature.com/articles/s4159…
Impact on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Long COVID threatens progress towards SDGs, affecting poverty, hunger, health, education, and gender equality across the globe. It exacerbates existing inequalities and strains resources​. nature.com/articles/s4159…Image
Research Roadmap: A comprehensive research agenda is needed to understand biological mechanisms, develop diagnostics, and design therapeutic trials. Understanding Long COVID requires a multidisciplinary approach and collaboration across disciplines. nature.com/articles/s4159…Image
Policy Roadmap: Effective policies should focus on prevention, support for affected individuals, access to quality care, professional education, and public health communication. A coordinated global response is essential to address Long COVID challenges​. nature.com/articles/s4159…Image
In sum, Long COVID is a defining health crisis of our time, with wide-reaching impacts.

Addressing the crisis of Long COVID requires an ambitious and coordinated—but so far absent—global research and policy response strategy.

nature.com/articles/s4159…
Thanks to my co-authors @ahandvanish @LisaAMcCorkell @leticiasaurus @swulfie @VirusesImmunity @EricTopol

Thanks to our editors @naturemedicine and our reviewers.

nature.com/articles/s4159…
TLDR: The global cumulative incidence of Long COVID is around 400 million with an annual economic cost of around $1 trillion; it poses significant challenges to individuals, health systems and economies across the globe.
nature.com/articles/s4159…
Image
Coverage by @cbarbermd in @FortuneMagazine

fortune.com/well/article/l…
By @PamBelluck in @nytimes
nytimes.com/2024/08/09/hea…

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
 

Keep Current with Ziyad Al-Aly, MD

Ziyad Al-Aly, MD Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @zalaly

Sep 23
Here are key slides of my talk at the NIH-RECOVER-TLC
#RECOVERTLC
nature.com/articles/s4159…
Image
The number of people with Long Covid is huge. This demands global attention. nature.com/articles/s4159…
Image
The economic toll of Long Covid is significant.

nature.com/articles/s4159…
Image
Read 11 tweets
Sep 10
Here is the first randomized trial to show that an antiviral can prevent Long Covid.

In the PANORAMIC trial, people randomized to molnupiravir had less risk of Long Covid than people who received no antivirals

My comment in the link below. A short🧵
thelancet.com/journals/lanin…
The study included people with at least one risk factor for progression to severe COVID-19 illness.

People randomized to molnupiravir or usual care (no antivirals) were followed for 6 months

thelancet.com/journals/lanin…
People who were randomly assigned to molnupiravir during the acute phase of COVID-19 had better outcomes at 3 months and 6 months than those randomly assigned to usual care

thelancet.com/journals/lanin…
Read 9 tweets
Sep 1
400 million reasons to care about #LongCovid

ICYMI: our review on #LongCovid in @NatureMedicine

Long Covid has affected at least 400 million people worldwide at a cost of $1 trillion per year.

#LongCovid is a defining health crisis of our time!

nature.com/articles/s4159…Image
We review the mechanisms of Long Covid including viral persistence, immune dysfunction, thrombo-inflammation, neuronal inflammation, and microbiome dysbiosis.
nature.com/articles/s4159…
Image
We review the devastating impacts of Long Covid on individuals and communities, health systems, economies, and global health metrics.

nature.com/articles/s4159…
Read 6 tweets
Aug 26
🧵1/ A Significant surge in the number of people with a disability in the U.S.

The @stlouisfed just released an analysis using data from the Current Population Survey (CPS), revealing some concerning trends. Here’s what they found:

#Disability #DisabilityJustice #LongCovid Image
2/ Above Trend Increase in Disability
Since 2019, the number of disabled individuals has surged beyond the expected trend by nearly 2 million. This isn't just a statistical anomaly—it's a huge indicator of a deeper, underlying health crisis.Image
3/ Cognitive Disabilities Skyrocket
Most alarming is the rise in cognitive disabilities. The population reporting only a cognitive disability has grown by nearly 1 million—a 43% increase since 2019.
Read 8 tweets
Aug 22
ICYMI #LongCovid is a defining crisis of our time

Long Covid affects at least 400 million people globally with an economic cost of $1 trillion/yr

Addressing Long Covid requires a coordinated—but so far absent—response strategy

Our review @NatureMedicine
nature.com/articles/s4159…
ロングコビッドは、私たちの時代を決定づける危機です。

ロングコビッドは、世界中で少なくとも 4 億人に影響を与え、年間 1 兆ドルの経済的損失を招いています。

@NatureMedicine での私たちのレビュー

nature.com/articles/s4159…
La COVID prolongada es una crisis que define nuestro tiempo.

La COVID prolongada afecta al menos a 400 millones de personas en todo el mundo y tiene un coste económico de un billón de dólares al año.

Nuestra reseña en @NatureMedicine
nature.com/articles/s4159…
Read 6 tweets
Aug 2
My Statement on the introduction of the Long COVID Research Moonshot Act #LongCovidMoonshot

I fully support this bill and urge the U.S. Congress and our community to support it.

Short thread: Image
Today U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders @SenSanders formally introduced the Long COVID Research Moonshot Act. This marks a historic moment, the culmination of relentless effort and dedication from countless individuals. #LongCovidMoonshot
The bill calls for the establishment of a Long Covid program at NIH with research funding of $1 billion per year for 10 years, and additional funding to other federal agencies for clinician education, public awareness, and more. #LongCovidMoonshot
Read 9 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Don't want to be a Premium member but still want to support us?

Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal

Or Donate anonymously using crypto!

Ethereum

0xfe58350B80634f60Fa6Dc149a72b4DFbc17D341E copy

Bitcoin

3ATGMxNzCUFzxpMCHL5sWSt4DVtS8UqXpi copy

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us!

:(