Read on Twitter
So, we've all been focused on the now, the short-term effects of #SARSCoV2 and the acute health impact of #COVID19, but what are we starting to learn about the long-term effects of this disease? What will it do to us? What are the human & economic costs of long-term sequelae? 1/
We're starting to see complications after initial recovery, which may mean life-long care, adjustments to our lives and the lives of our families even after surviving #COVID19. 2/ https://www.wkrn.com/community/health/coronavirus/patients-struggle-with-long-term-complications-from-covid-19/
First, the lungs: “Recovery from lung damage takes time...There’s initial injury to the lungs, followed by scarring. Over time, the tissue heals, but it can take 3 months to a year or more for a person’s lung function to return to pre #COVID19 levels.” 3/ https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/what-coronavirus-does-to-the-lungs
Now, the heart. "Jorde said that after COVID-19 patients recover, they could have long-term effects from such heart damage. But, he said, treatments exist for various forms of heart damage that should be effective once the viral infection has cleared." 4/ https://khn.org/news/mysterious-heart-damage-not-just-lung-troubles-befalling-covid-19-patients/
“We’re seeing things in the way #Covid19 affects the brain that we haven’t seen before with other viruses...What we’ve seen...is you can have severe neurology, you can be quite sick, but actually have trivial lung disease." 5/ https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/dozens-more-cases-reported-of-neurological-problems-in-covid-19-67717
And it not only neurological, but psychological & mental health to consider. 6/ https://www.businessinsider.com/potential-mental-health-effects-of-coronavirus-pandemic-2020-6
We are focused on saving lives, livelihoods today, but #COVID19 will have effects that linger for years. The US needs to prepare for the aftershocks. 7/ https://www.vox.com/2020/5/11/21254892/coronavirus-us-economy-primary-health-care-insurance
