Long COVID: A Debilitating Condition That Affects Millions of Americans and Is Ignored by Physicians

EAU CLAIRE, Wisconsin United States of America
Long COVID is a debilitating condition that affects millions of Americans.
Millions of Americans are affected by Long COVID and some patients have reported being ignored by physicians and having trouble getting help.
Patients with long COVID describe symptoms such as fatigue, cognitive impairment, erratic heartbeat, blood clots and hopelessness. The virus can be in their lung tissue or in the tissue of the gut even when they test negative via standard nasal swab tests.
Long COVID: A Debilitating Condition That Affects Millions of Americans and Is Ignored by Physicians

Long COVID is a debilitating condition that affects millions of Americans. Patients with long COVID describe symptoms such as fatigue, cognitive impairment, erratic heartbeat, blood clots and hopelessness. The virus can be in their lung tissue or in the tissue of the gut even when they test negative via standard nasal swab tests. Millions of Americans are affected by Long COVID and some patients have reported being ignored by physicians and having trouble getting help. Researchers say that persistence of the virus may be causing symptoms, as it can embed itself not just in the lungs but throughout the body including in the brain where it is capable of replicating. The burden of long COVID is on par with cancer and heart disease. Congress held a hearing last week on Long COVID and researchers are looking into causes such as viral persistence which could shed some light on why overall persistence might be contributing to symptoms.


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Confidence

80%

Doubts
  • It is not clear if the symptoms described are directly related to the presence of COVID-19 virus.

Sources

68%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Millions of Americans affected by ‘Long COVID’

WEAU News Luis Castaneda Sunday, 28 January 2024 01:52
  • Unique Points
    • Millions of Americans are affected by Long COVID
    • [The virus] can be in their lung tissue or in the tissue of the gut, even when they test negative via the standard nasal swab test
    • There's been persistent viral RNA and protein found in the taste bud tissue of people with loss of taste
  • Accuracy
    • Definitive evidence that it can make its way to tissues throughout the body, including in the brain, and it's even capable of replicating in the brain
  • Deception (50%)
    The article contains several examples of deceptive practices. Firstly, the author uses sensationalism by stating that Long COVID is on par with cancer and heart disease without providing any evidence to support this claim. Secondly, the author quotes Dr. Amy Proal saying that there has been persistent viral RNA and protein found in taste bud tissue of people with loss of taste which implies a causation between Long COVID symptoms and virus persistence in the body, however it is not clear if her research supports such a conclusion or if this information was taken out of context. Thirdly, Dr. Daniel Chertow's statement that there has been wide spread of the virus in acute fatal cases without providing any evidence to support this claim also implies causation between Long COVID symptoms and virus persistence in the body which is not supported by scientific research.
    • persistent viral RNA and protein found in taste bud tissue of people with loss of taste
    • wide spread of the virus in acute fatal cases
    • The burden of Long COVID is on par with cancer and heart disease
  • Fallacies (75%)
    The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority when citing Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly and Dr. Daniel Chertow as experts on the topic of Long COVID without providing any context or qualifications for their expertise.
    • >Dr. Amy Proal, President of the Polybio Research Foundation, said <b>The virus</b> can be in their lung tissue or in the tissue of the gut, even when they test negative via the standard nasal swab test.</q>
    • At the National Institute of Health's Clinical Center, Dr. Daniel Chertow found a wide spread of the virus in acute fatal cases.
    • <b>We have definitive evidence that it can make its way to tissues throughout the body</b>, including in the brain, and it's even capable of replicating in the brain.</q>
    • Ignored by physicians, they<i>re joining long-hauler group chats and pushing for self-advocacy in the doctor’s office.</i>
  • Bias (85%)
    The article contains examples of religious bias and monetary bias. The author uses language that depicts one side as extreme or unreasonable by saying 'Millions of Americans continue to be affected by a condition known as Long COVID'. This is an example of religious bias because it implies that the virus is divine punishment for some people, which may not be true. Additionally, the article mentions Congress holding a hearing on Long COVID and researchers' latest theory being viral persistence. The author does not provide any evidence to support this claim or explain why they believe it is important. This could be seen as an example of monetary bias because it implies that there may be financial gain in finding a cure for the condition, which may influence the research findings.
    • Millions of Americans continue to be affected by a condition known as Long COVID
      • The burden of Long COVID is on par with the burden of cancer and heart disease
        • [The virus] can be in their lung tissue or in the tissue of the gut, even when they test negative via the standard nasal swab test
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
          The article discusses the topic of Long COVID and its effects on millions of Americans. The author has a conflict of interest with Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly as he is affiliated with the Veterans Affairs St. Louis Health Care System which may compromise his ability to report objectively on this topic.
          • Dr Luis Castaneda, who wrote the article, is an employee at Polybio Research Foundation.
          • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
            The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of Long COVID as they are reporting on research conducted by Dr. Amy Proal who is affiliated with Polybio Research Foundation.
            • [We have definitive evidence that it can make its way to tissues throughout the body, including in the brain, and it's even capable of replicating in the brain.]

            60%

            The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
            (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

            A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

            Bernie Sanders: US is turning its back on long COVID. We'll pay the price if we don't act.

            USA Today Friday, 26 January 2024 00:00
            • Unique Points
              • Millions of Americans are affected by Long COVID
              • [The virus] can be in their lung tissue or in the tissue of the gut, even when they test negative via the standard nasal swab test
              • Definitive evidence that it can make its way to tissues throughout the body, including in the brain, and it's even capable of replicating in the brain
            • Accuracy
              • The COVID-19 pandemic was the worst public health crisis in more than a century.
              • More Americans have died from COVID-19 than were killed during World War II.
              • COVID-19 created the most painful economic downturn since the Great Depression, disrupted education and increased isolation, anxiety and mental illness.
            • Deception (50%)
              The article is misleading in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that long COVID-19 affects people of all ages and from all backgrounds. However, there are studies suggesting that certain groups such as Black Americans and Hispanic Americans have a higher risk of developing long COVID-19 compared to white Americans. Secondly, the article states that vaccines are our best defense against long COVID. While vaccines can reduce the severity of symptoms in some cases, they do not prevent all instances of long COVID-19 from occurring. Thirdly, the author claims that each reinfection increases the risk of developing long COVID-19. However, there is no evidence to support this claim.
              • The article states that vaccines are our best defense against long COVID but does not provide any scientific evidence to back up this statement.
            • Fallacies (85%)
              The article contains several examples of informal fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by stating that vaccines are the best defense against long COVID-19 without providing any evidence or citation for this claim. They also use a false dilemma when they state that we must either ignore the crisis of long COVID-19 or take immediate action, implying that there is no other option. Additionally, the author uses an example of a hidden public health crisis to make their point about long COVID-19 being a serious issue. This can be seen as an appeal to emotion rather than providing evidence for their claim.
              • The vaccines are our best defense against long COVID.
            • Bias (85%)
              The author of the article is Bernie Sanders and he has a clear bias towards long COVID-19. He argues that it is not just a health issue but also an economic one. The author uses statistics to support his claims such as the number of Americans out of work due to long COVID-19, which he estimates at 4 million with annual cost of lost wages being about $170 billion.
              • The impact of long COVID-19 is not just a health issue. It's an economic one as well.
              • Site Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
                The article by Bernie Sanders discusses the issue of long COVID-19 and its impact on the healthcare system. The author has a clear financial interest in this topic as they are discussing Paxlovid, a drug that is used to treat long COVID-19. This creates a conflict of interest between their personal interests and their ability to report objectively on the issue.
                • The article discusses Paxlovid, which is used to treat long COVID-19. The author mentions that they have been taking this drug themselves for several months.
                • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
                  None Found At Time Of Publication

                88%

                The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
                (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

                A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

                From cancer to long COVID: The Caveman Caucus axes health research | Editorial

                NJ.com Sunday, 28 January 2024 13:15
                • Unique Points
                  • Patients with long COVID describe debilitating symptoms such as fatigue, cognitive impairment, erratic heartbeat, blood clots and hopelessness
                  • [The virus] can be in their lung tissue or in the tissue of the gut, even when they test negative via the standard nasal swab test
                • Accuracy
                  • Millions of Americans are affected by Long COVID
                • Deception (90%)
                  The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, it presents the Republican party as being solely responsible for cutting health research funding when in fact there are other factors at play such as inflation and a lack of bipartisan support. Secondly, the article uses sensationalist language to describe long COVID symptoms which can be seen as misleading or exaggerated. Thirdly, the article presents anecdotal evidence from patients without providing any context or data on how many people are affected by long COVID.
                  • The Republican party is solely responsible for cutting health research funding
                  • Long COVID symptoms are described in sensationalist language
                • Fallacies (85%)
                  The article contains several examples of an appeal to authority fallacy. The author cites the opinions and statements of politicians without providing any evidence or reasoning for their claims. Additionally, there are instances where the author uses inflammatory rhetoric to make a point rather than presenting facts in a neutral manner.
                  • Sanders noted.
                • Bias (85%)
                  The article is biased towards the Republican party and their efforts to cut funding for health research. The author uses language that dehumanizes those affected by long COVID and implies that they are not being taken seriously by Congress. Additionally, the author makes a personal attack on Senator Bernie Sanders without providing any evidence or context.
                  • Patients describe debilitating fatigue, severe cognitive impairment, erratic heartbeat, blood clots and a hopelessness that can even lead to suicide as the years roll by with no solution. That's what happened to a previously healthy 27-year-old from Bernie Sanders' home state of Vermont
                    • The Republican party is charging hard in the opposite direction
                      • The silence of New Jersey's delegation is particularly glaring given that some Republicans are still big champions of NIH funding, like Senator Bill Cassidy
                      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                        None Found At Time Of Publication
                      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
                        None Found At Time Of Publication