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Long COVID: An Overview for Patients
This month, we welcome Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly for an overview of long COVID, also known as “COVID long hauler syndrome.” Dr. Al-Aly is a physician-scientist and directs the Clinical Epidemiology Center, serving as the Chief of Research and Development Service at the VA Saint Louis Health Care System. He has broad interests in global health and in the short- and long-term effects of COVID-19 on health outcomes.
In this webinar, Dr. Al-Aly addresses the following questions:
- What’s led the medical community to study long COVID?
- What is long COVID?
- What are some of the physical, mental, and social consequences of long COVID?
- How are COVID and long COVID different than other viruses, such as the flu?
- What are the implications of long COVID for health systems and communities?
Key Takeaways:
- Long COVID is a multifaceted disease; it can affect nearly every organ system in the body.
- The burden of long COVID is seen among non-hospitalized patients and increases with severity of initial COVID infection.
- Governments and health systems must adapt quickly and establish post-COVID care strategies.