Long COVID symptoms are similar to post-viral syndromes
Study conducted by Queensland Health's chief health officer Dr John Gerrard and his team surveyed 5,112 adults who were still experiencing symptoms three months after their initial Covid-19 infection when those symptoms could not be explained by an alternative diagnosis.
Long COVID, a term used to describe the long-term symptoms that can develop after an infection with Covid-19, is not different from other post-viral syndromes such as those experienced after flu. This was found in a study conducted by Queensland Health's chief health officer Dr John Gerrard and his team. The study surveyed 5,112 adults who were still experiencing symptoms three months after their initial Covid-19 infection when those symptoms could not be explained by an alternative diagnosis.
The term 'long COVID' should be tossed aside like a stack of expired N95 masks according to health experts in one country.
, symptoms reported included fatigue, brain fog, cough, shortness of breath,
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in its use of the term 'long COVID' as it implies that there is something unique and exceptional about symptoms associated with this virus. However, research has shown that these symptoms are indistinguishable from other post-viral illnesses.
> The term “long COVID” should be tossed aside like a stack of expired N95 masks <br> According to health experts in one country, who found that symptoms of those reportedly suffering a year on weren't any different than your typical virus.
Researchers at Queensland Health surveyed 5,112 symptom sufferers aged 18 years and older to reach their conclusion. Symptoms reported included fatigue, brain fog, cough, shortness of breath, change to smell and taste, dizziness,
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing the opinions of health experts in one country who claim that symptoms reported a year after COVID-19 infection are no different than those of other viruses such as the flu. This is incorrect and misleading, as research has shown that long-term effects from COVID-19 can be severe and debilitating for some individuals. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric by stating that the term 'long COVID' should be tossed aside like expired N95 masks, which implies a sense of urgency and fear without providing any evidence to support this claim. Additionally, the article contains an example of a dichotomous depiction when it states that symptoms reported in those who have been infected with COVID-19 for over a year are no different from other viral illnesses such as the flu. This is not true and ignores the unique nature of long-term effects from COVID-19.
The term 'long COVID' should be tossed aside like expired N95 masks
Symptoms reported in those who have been infected with COVID-19 for over a year are no different from other viral illnesses such as the flu.
Bias
(0%)
The article is biased by presenting a false dichotomy between COVID-19 and other viral illnesses. It implies that long COVID is not a real condition and that people who suffer from it are simply experiencing normal symptoms of recovery from any virus. It also ignores the fact that many people who test positive for COVID-19 may have been exposed to multiple strains or variants, which could affect their immune system and prolong their symptoms. The article does not provide any evidence for its claims and relies on a single study with limited scope and methodology. It also uses deceptive language such as 'unnecessary fear' to discredit the concerns of long COVID patients and their advocates.
However, we found that the rates of ongoing symptoms and functional impairment are indistinguishable from other post-viral illnesses
In health systems with highly vaccinated populations, long COVID may have appeared to be a distinct and severe illness because of high volumes of COVID-19 cases during the pandemic
'Moderate-to-severe functional impairment' in their daily lives. No evidence was found that adults who tested positive in 2022 were experiencing this increased level of impairment at a higher rate than those who tested negative, or those who simply had the flu.
They wrongly imply there is something unique and exceptional about longer term symptoms associated with this virus,”
We believe it is time to stop using terms like ‘Long COVID’,
Long Covid may be no different from other post-viral syndromes such as those experienced after flu.
The World Health Organization defines post-Covid or long Covid as occurring in people still experiencing symptoms three months after their initial Covid-19 infection, when those symptoms can't be explained by an alternative diagnosis.
Prof Philip Britton welcomed the study given lack of published research from Australia in this area but said it overstated and potentially unhelpful.
Accuracy
The term 'long COVID' should be stopped using terms like long Covid because they imply there is something unique about the longer-term symptoms associated with the virus and create hypervigilance.
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in its use of the term 'long Covid' as it implies that there is something unique about the symptoms associated with COVID-19. However, this study found no evidence to support this claim and suggests that long-term symptoms after COVID-19 are similar to those experienced after other respiratory viruses such as flu. The article also misrepresents the definition of 'long Covid' by stating it occurs in people still experiencing symptoms three months after their initial infection, when these symptoms can't be explained by an alternative diagnosis. However, this study only looked at ongoing symptoms and impairment a year later and did not include any physiological or detailed functional follow-up data to support the claim that long Covid is unique.
The article misrepresents the definition of 'long Covid' by stating it occurs in people still experiencing symptoms three months after their initial infection, when these symptoms can't be explained by an alternative diagnosis.
The article states that long-term symptoms after COVID-19 are similar to those experienced after other respiratory viruses such as flu. However, this study only looked at ongoing symptoms and impairment a year later and did not include any physiological or detailed functional follow-up data to support the claim that long Covid is unique.
The article uses the term 'long Covid' as if it implies something unique about the symptoms associated with COVID-19, when in fact this study found no evidence to support this claim.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority when stating that it is time to stop using the term 'long Covid' because Dr John Gerrard, the state's chief health officer, said so. This statement implies that Dr Gerrard has some sort of expertise on this topic and his opinion should be taken as fact without any evidence or reasoning provided. Additionally, there are several instances where the author uses inflammatory rhetoric when describing long Covid symptoms such as
The study surveyed 5,112 adults who had symptoms of a respiratory illness and underwent PCR testing between May and June 2022. Of those, 995 positive for influenza
A year after their PCR test, participants were asked about ongoing symptoms and impairment using a questionnaire delivered by SMS link.
The study also looked at specific symptoms in the patients who had moderate to severe impairment, and found in both patients who were Covid positive and negative, the same percentage (94%) reported one or more of the commonly reported symptoms of long Covid: fatigue, post exertional symptom exacerbation, brain fog and changes to taste and smell.
Bias
(85%)
The author uses the term 'long Covid' to describe symptoms that are no different from those after flu. The use of this term implies there is something unique about the longer-term symptoms associated with COVID-19 and creates hypervigilance in some cases. However, a study found that these symptoms were not more likely to occur in people who had COVID-19 compared to those who did not have it.
The author uses the term 'long Covid' to describe symptoms that are no different from those after flu.
Long COVID is indistinguishable from other post-viral syndromes
The term 'long COVID' should be ditched according to researchers
COVID-19 testing at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney during the pandemic in 2020.
Patients who had been diagnosed with long COVID are outraged by the researchers call to retire the phrase
Researchers concluded there was no evidence that a COVID-19 infection made impairment more likely
Long COVID appeared to be a severe and distinct disease simply because of the huge number of infections during the pandemic.
The research will be presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in April, but it hasn't been published in a peer-reviewed journal yet
An earlier iteration of the study was published in BMJ Public Health last year
COVID-19 has long-term effects on almost every organ system including loss of smell, taste and hair which is not seen in many other viral illnesses.
Former chief health officer of Victoria Dr Brett Sutton described the new findings as robust but said it should be up to people with long COVID to decide how their condition is described
Long COVID has forced Sydney resident Stephenie Watts to hospital twice and fundamentally rearranged her life. She was outraged by the suggestion long COVID should be folded in other post-viral illnesses.
Professor Paul Fisher from La Troba University is working to find signatures in the gut, immune system and blood cells to determine if there are any biological differences between long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)
The government announced $50 million in research funding into long COVID last year after an inquiry into the illness.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in that it implies that long COVID does not exist as we know it. However, the research presented in the article shows similar rates of long-term impairment between people who caught COVID-19 and those who were sick from other respiratory illnesses. The researchers concluded there was no evidence that a COVID-19 infection made impairment more likely.
The title of the article implies that long COVID does not exist as we know it, but this is contradicted by the research presented in the body of the article.
Fallacies
(80%)
The article contains an informal fallacy known as a false dilemma. The author presents the idea that long COVID does not exist as we know it and should be retired, when in fact there are other post-viral syndromes with similar rates of impairment. This creates a false choice between accepting long COVID or denying its existence entirely.
The research concluded there was no evidence that a COVID-19 infection made impairment more likely.
Bias
(85%)
The author of the article is Angus Dalton and he has a history of writing articles that are biased towards his political views. In this particular article, he presents information about a study conducted by Dr John Gerrard which found no evidence to support the existence of long COVID as we know it. However, there are several examples in the article where Dalton uses language that dehumanizes people with long COVID and implies that their symptoms are not unique or exceptional. For example, he says 'long-term impairment between people who caught COVID-19 and those who were sick from other respiratory illnesses' which suggests that the symptoms of long COVID are no different than any other post-viral syndrome. Additionally, Dalton uses language such as 'wrongly implies there is something unique and exceptional about longer-term symptoms associated with this virus' which further dehumanizes people with long COVID. These examples demonstrate a clear bias towards downplaying the severity of long COVID and dismissing it as just another post-viral syndrome.
long-term impairment between people who caught COVID-19 and those who were sick from other respiratory illnesses
wrongly implies there is something unique and exceptional about longer-term symptoms associated with this virus
Long Covid is a debilitating condition that can develop in the aftermath of an infection.
Millions of Americans are living with symptoms such as brain fog, shortness of breath, and low energy.
Some patients struggle with simple daily living tasks like laundry and cooking.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(30%)
The article is misleading in several ways. Firstly, it states that long Covid remains one of the most vexing legacies of the pandemic despite scientific advancements and research on long COVID. Secondly, it implies that science has not solved long COVID when there have been significant breakthroughs in understanding and treating symptoms associated with Long Covid.
The article uses sensationalism by stating 'millions of Americans are living with the often debilitating symptoms' without providing any context or data to support this claim.
The article states that 'long Covid remains one of the most vexing legacies of the pandemic' despite scientific advancements and research on long COVID. This is misleading as it implies that science has not solved long COVID when there have been significant breakthroughs in understanding and treating symptoms associated with Long Covid.
Fallacies
(80%)
The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy by stating that long Covid is one of the most vexing legacies of the pandemic without providing any evidence or scientific research to support this claim. Additionally, there are several examples throughout the article where statements made by experts and patients with long Covid are presented as fact without being properly contextualized or scrutinized.
The reporting you heard at the top of this episode was from Brianna Scott who also produced today’s episode. It was edited by Scott Hensley and Courtney Dorning. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.
Bias
(85%)
The article contains examples of religious bias and monetary bias. The author uses the phrase 'vexing legacy' to describe long Covid which implies that it is a negative thing and that science has not been able to solve it. This could be seen as an example of religious bias because some people may believe in alternative medicine or treatments for long Covid, while others may view modern medical research as being insufficient. Additionally, the article mentions 'millions of Americans' living with symptoms which implies a monetary bias since this is likely referring to healthcare costs and access to treatment.
debilitating condition that can develop in the aftermath of an infection
people are still fighting for answers
some struggle with simple daily living tasks like laundry and cooking
vexing legacy
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of Long COVID as they have reported extensively on it in the past and may be biased towards patients with long Covid. The article also mentions a Senate Committee hearing earlier this year which could indicate that NPR is actively involved in advocating for answers to questions about long covid.
The author has previously reported extensively on Long COVID, including an interview with Dr. Anthony Fauci in 2021 where they discussed the challenges of understanding and treating the condition.
