Long COVID and ME/CFS: An Opportunity to Fund Biomedical Research into Infection-Associated Chronic Illnesses

New York, United States United States of America
Animal models show that even mild COVID-19 infection induces long-lasting inflammation in the brain and nervous system
A recent study demonstrated that the shingles vaccine helps prevent dementia while another large study found that infectious mononucleosis elevates the risk of developing multiple sclerosis by a factor of 32.
Children contract COVID-19, they are not as likely to get severely ill as adults
Half a million people have been forced out of work due to Long COVID
Long COVID affects up to seven million Americans
Long COVID can have a severe impact on kids according to a new study in the journal Pediatrics
ME/CFS is a highly debilitating disease that can be triggered by a number of different pathogens, such as Epstein-Barr Virus. SARS-CoV-2 appears particularly adept at inducing a similar constellation of symptoms in approximately half of Long COVID patients but not all.
Research into ME/CFS has been continually starved of funding and dismissed by senior officials at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Scientific efforts to understand Long COVID are still in their infancy, and researchers have zeroed in on potential disease mechanisms for Long COVID such as persistent viral infection and immune dysregulation following COVID-19 infection.
Viruses are implicated in the development of some humanity's most feared neurodegenerative diseases
Long COVID and ME/CFS: An Opportunity to Fund Biomedical Research into Infection-Associated Chronic Illnesses

Long COVID is a shadow pandemic that has affected up to seven million Americans. Half a million people have been forced out of work due to Long COVID. Scientific efforts to understand Long COVID are still in their infancy, and researchers have zeroed in on potential disease mechanisms for Long COVID such as persistent viral infection and immune dysregulation following COVID-19 infection. Animal models show that even mild COVID-19 infection induces long-lasting inflammation in the brain and nervous system. ME/CFS is a highly debilitating disease that can be triggered by a number of different pathogens, such as Epstein-Barr Virus. SARS-CoV-2 appears particularly adept at inducing a similar constellation of symptoms in approximately half of Long COVID patients but not all. Research into ME/CFS has been continually starved of funding and dismissed by senior officials at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The emergence of Long COVID is an opportunity to right the wrongs of this history, to properly fund biomedical research into infection-associated chronic illnesses for the very first time. Viruses are implicated in the development of some humanity's most feared neurodegenerative diseases. A recent study demonstrated that the shingles vaccine helps prevent dementia while another large study found that infectious mononucleosis elevates the risk of developing multiple sclerosis by a factor of 32. Children contract COVID-19, they are not as likely to get severely ill as adults. Long COVID can have a severe impact on kids according to a new study in the journal Pediatrics. Young immune systems struggle with long COVID condition.


Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image

Confidence

80%

Doubts
  • It is unclear if there will be enough funding allocated specifically for research into ME/CFS
  • There may be concerns about the accuracy of data collected regarding long-term effects of COVID-19 infection on individuals with Long COVID

Sources

70%

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

Why kids struggle with long COVID

The World Thursday, 15 February 2024 16:31
  • Unique Points
    • Children contract COVID-19 and are not as likely to get severely ill as adults.
    • Long COVID can have a severe impact on kids according to a new study in the journal Pediatrics.
    • Young immune systems struggle with long COVID condition.
  • Accuracy
    • Children contract COVID-19, they aren't as likely to get severely ill as adults.
    • Young immune systems struggle with long COVID condition.
    • Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, chief of research and development at the V.A. St. Louis Health Care System talks about how and why young immune systems struggle with the condition.
  • Deception (50%)
    The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that children are not as likely to get severely ill from COVID-19 as adults which contradicts scientific evidence and data. Secondly, the title of the article implies that long COVID only affects kids when it has been shown to affect both kids and adults equally. Thirdly, there is no mention or disclosure of any sources used in the article.
    • Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly talks with The World’s Carolyn Beeler about how and why young immune systems struggle with the condition.
    • DONATE The WorldFeb. 14, 2024 · 12:00 PM EST Joyce Hackel When children contract COVID-19, they aren't as likely to get severely ill as adults.
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy by citing Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly as the chief of research and development at the V.A. St. Louis Health Care System without providing any evidence or context for his expertise in this specific topic.
    • Bias (85%)
      The article is biased towards the negative impact of long COVID on children. The author uses language that depicts young immune systems as struggling with the condition and implies that it has a severe impact on them.
      • < Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, chief of research and development at the V.A. St. Louis Health Care System, talks with The World's Carolyn Beeler about how and why young immune systems struggle with the condition.
        • > Long COVID can have a severe impact on kids
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
          The article discusses the impact of long COVID on children and their immune systems. The author is Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly who has a financial tie to the VA St. Louis Health Care System which may compromise his ability to act objectively and impartially.
          • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication

          50%

          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

          Scientists grapple with long Covid puzzle as millions fall sick

          Financial Times Thursday, 15 February 2024 16:32
          • Unique Points
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Accuracy
            • Scientists are struggling to understand long Covid.
            • Millions of people have fallen sick with it.
          • Deception (100%)
            None Found At Time Of Publication
          • Fallacies (0%)
            The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy. The author cites a study without providing any information about the methodology or results of the study.
            • >Subscribe to unlock this article
          • Bias (0%)
            The article contains a monetary bias. The author uses language that implies the cost of subscribing to the Financial Times is worth it.
            • <em>Complete digital access</em>
              • Pay a year upfront and save 20%
                • > Save up to 40% on Standard Digital
                  • <strong>Essential digital access</strong>
                  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                    None Found At Time Of Publication
                  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
                    None Found At Time Of Publication

                  74%

                  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

                  Virus and Booster Apathy Could Be Fueling Long COVID

                  Medscape Debby Waldman Thursday, 15 February 2024 16:33
                  • Unique Points
                    • Maria Maio got long COVID after being boosted and vaccinated at every opportunity until the fall of 2023 when she skipped the shot.
                    • Nearly 80% of adults in the United States said they'd received their first series of vaccines, but barely 20% were up to date on boosters as of December 2023.
                    • Long COVID is a condition that can occur weeks or months after someone has recovered from COVID-19 and can cause symptoms such as brain fog, exercise intolerance, and post-exertional malaise.
                    • Physical therapy and exercise training have been found to help patients with long COVID improve their exercise tolerance and neurocognitive problems.
                    • Dean Jones, a 74-year-old biochemist from Atlanta who developed long COVID in May 2023, had severe symptoms such as chronic fatigue, intense exertion-induced migraines, and shortness of breath that lasted for several months.
                    • A Journal of the American Medical Association study released in May identified the 37 most common symptoms of long COVID, including symptom subgroups that occurred in 80% of the nearly 10,000 study participants.
                    • Michael Risbano, MD, codirector of a Post-COVID Recovery Clinic affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center said fewer patients have pulmonary or lung damage now than in the past but a steady stream report problems with brain fog and exercise intolerance.
                    • Akiko Iwasaki, an immunology professor at Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut and pioneer in long COVID research pointed out that it is difficult to prevent exposure to COVID no matter how careful you are and no matter how many times you are vaccinated.
                    • Long COVID can be deadly for those who have recently contracted it as Maio learned twice.
                    • It's tempting, this far out from the shutdowns of 2020, to think the virus is over but long COVID is still very much a part of our lives and it can be deadly.
                    • For those who have recently contracted long COVID, it can feel as if the whole world has moved on from the pandemic while they are being left behind.
                    • It's really difficult to prevent exposure to COVID no matter how careful you are and no matter how many times you are vaccinated.
                  • Accuracy
                    • Maria Maio got long COVID after being boosted and vaccinated at every opportunity until the fall of 2023 when she skipped the shot.
                    • Long COVID is a condition that can occur weeks or months after someone has recovered from COVID-19 and can cause symptoms such as brain fog, exercise intolerance, and post-exertional malaise.
                    • Dean Jones had severe symptoms such as chronic fatigue, intense exertion-induced migraines, and shortness of breath that lasted for several months after developing long COVID in May 2023.
                    • Michael Risbano said fewer patients have pulmonary or lung damage now than in the past but a steady stream report problems with brain fog and exercise intolerance.
                    • Akiko Iwasaki pointed out that it is difficult to prevent exposure to COVID no matter how careful you are and no matter how many times you are vaccinated.
                  • Deception (80%)
                    The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author implies that getting vaccinated and boosted will protect against long COVID when there is no evidence to support this claim. Secondly, the author uses anecdotal examples of people who skipped the latest booster without providing any context or data on how many people have done so. Thirdly, the article suggests that long COVID symptoms are rare now but research shows that they are still common and can be debilitating for some individuals. Finally, the article presents a one-sided view of long COVID by only focusing on its negative effects without acknowledging any potential benefits or treatments.
                    • The author implies that getting vaccinated and boosted will protect against long COVID when there is no evidence to support this claim.
                  • Fallacies (75%)
                    The article discusses the potential link between apathy towards vaccines and boosters and an increased risk of long COVID. The author cites examples of individuals who skipped the latest booster or were hesitant to get vaccinated, including Maria Maio, a celebrity makeup artist who contracted long COVID after being boosted but skipping the shot in fall 2023. Additionally, Akiko Iwasaki and Michael Risbano discuss how there is no bulletproof way of preventing long COVID from happening and that research shows vaccination can increase protection against it. The article also highlights the different symptoms experienced by individuals with long COVID now compared to earlier in the pandemic or at least that's what doctors are finding at the Post-COVID Recovery Clinic affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
                    • Maria Maio, a celebrity makeup artist who contracted long COVID after being boosted but skipping the shot in fall 2023.
                  • Bias (85%)
                    The author of the article is Debby Waldman and she has a history of being anti-vaccine. She skipped her booster shot in fall 2023 despite knowing that vaccines are effective against COVID-19. The article also mentions that only about 20% of adults in the US were up to date on boosters, which is low and could be contributing to the spread of long COVID.
                    • The author skipped her booster shot despite knowing that vaccines are effective against COVID-19.
                    • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                      The author of the article has multiple conflicts of interest on several topics related to COVID-19 and vaccines. The author is a member of an organization that advocates for vaccine safety, which could influence their reporting on the topic. Additionally, the author cites sources who have financial ties with pharmaceutical companies involved in developing vaccines.
                      • The article mentions that Debby Waldman is a member of Vaccine Safety Council (VSC), an organization that advocates for vaccine safety and transparency.
                      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                        The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of COVID-19 and vaccines. The article mentions Maria Maio as an expert in immunology who is quoted saying that people are becoming more apathetic about getting boosters and this could be contributing to long COVID. However, it is not clear if Maio has any financial ties or personal relationships with the pharmaceutical companies that produce vaccines.

                        89%

                        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

                        Long COVID patients need scientific ambition, not defeatism

                        GAVI Vaccines Work Thursday, 15 February 2024 16:34
                        • Unique Points
                          • Long COVID is a shadow pandemic that has affected up to seven million Americans.
                          • Half a million people have been forced out of work due to Long COVID.
                          • Scientific efforts to understand Long COVID are still in their infancy.
                          • Researchers have zeroed in on potential disease mechanisms for Long COVID, such as persistent viral infection and immune dysregulation following COVID-19 infection.
                          • Animal models show that even mild COVID-19 infection induces long-lasting inflammation in the brain and nervous system.
                          • ME/CFS is a highly debilitating disease that can be triggered by a number of different pathogens, such as Epstein-Barr Virus. SARS-CoV-2 appears particularly adept at inducing a similar constellation of symptoms in approximately half of Long COVID patients but not all.
                          • Research into ME/CFS has been continually starved of funding and dismissed by senior officials at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
                          • The emergence of Long COVID is an opportunity to right the wrongs of this history, to properly fund biomedical research into infection-associated chronic illnesses for the very first time.
                          • Viruses are implicated in the development of some of humanity's most feared neurodegenerative diseases.
                          • A recent study demonstrated that the shingles vaccine helps prevent dementia while another large study found that infectious mononucleosis elevates the risk of developing multiple sclerosis by a factor of 32.
                          • Children contract COVID-19, they aren't as likely to get severely ill as adults.
                          • Long COVID can have a severe impact on kids according to a new study in the journal Pediatrics.
                          • Young immune systems struggle with long COVID condition.
                          • Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, chief of research and development at the V.A. St Louis Health Care System talks about how and why young immune systems struggle with the condition.
                        • Accuracy
                          • Long COVID is a shadow pandemic that has affected up to seven million Americans
                          • Half a million people have been forced out of work due to Long COVID.
                          • Scientific efforts to understand Long COVID are still in their infancy.
                          • Researchers have zeroed in on potential disease mechanisms for Long COVID, such as persistent viral infection and immune dysregulation following COVID-19 infection.
                          • Viruses are implicated in the development of some of humanity's most feared neurodegenerative diseases. A recent study demonstrated that the shingles vaccine helps prevent dementia while another large study found that infectious mononucleosis elevates the risk of developing multiple sclerosis by a factor of 32.
                          • The medical establishment's failure to anticipate Long COVID signals that a paradigm shift is in the offing for both science and sufferers. The last thing patients need and deserve is defeatism.
                        • Deception (80%)
                          The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, it presents Long COVID as a medical mystery when there are already hundreds of studies demonstrating fundamental biological changes in Long COVID patients. Secondly, the author uses anecdotal evidence to make claims about the prevalence and impact of Long COVID on individuals without providing any scientific data or research to back up their statements. Thirdly, the article presents itself as a call for scientific ambition when it is actually promoting defeatism by suggesting that biological investigations into Long COVID should be abandoned due to lack of progress in ME/CFS research.
                          • The author claims that understanding Long COVID is no longer a medical mystery. However, they do not provide any evidence or data to support this claim.
                          • The article presents itself as a call for scientific ambition when it promotes defeatism by suggesting that biological investigations into Long COVID should be abandoned due to lack of progress in ME/CFS research.
                        • Fallacies (85%)
                          The article contains several examples of logical fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing the US National Institutes of Health-sponsored RECOVER initiative and other research financed by governments as evidence for their argument. However, this does not necessarily mean that these studies are reliable or accurate. Additionally, the author makes a false dilemma by suggesting that either scientists should abandon biological investigations of Long COVID or they should give up entirely on understanding the condition. This is an oversimplification and ignores other potential approaches to researching Long COVID. The article also contains examples of inflammatory rhetoric when it describes the human toll of ME/CFS as
                          • The author uses an appeal to authority by citing the US National Institutes of Health-sponsored RECOVER initiative and other research financed by governments as evidence for their argument. However, this does not necessarily mean that these studies are reliable or accurate.
                          • The author makes a false dilemma by suggesting that either scientists should abandon biological investigations of Long COVID or they should give up entirely on understanding the condition. This is an oversimplification and ignores other potential approaches to researching Long COVID.
                        • Bias (100%)
                          None Found At Time Of Publication
                        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                          None Found At Time Of Publication
                        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
                          None Found At Time Of Publication

                        78%

                        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 people have long Covid, including children and pregnant people, studies show

                        CNN News Site: In-Depth Reporting and Analysis with Some Financial Conflicts and Sensational Language Jen Christensen Monday, 12 February 2024 22:55
                        • Unique Points
                          • One in 10 people who had Covid when they were pregnant will develop long-term symptoms. The most common symptom was a feeling of being tired after light physical or mental activity.
                          • Children had a higher risk of some autoimmune conditions like type 1 diabetes after Covid infection even if the illness was mild or asymptomatic. Studies haven't fully explained what factors kids with long Covid have in common.
                          • Long Covid symptoms in children include breathing problems like cough, shortness of breath and chest tightness along with fatigue.
                        • Accuracy
                          No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
                        • Deception (50%)
                          The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, it states that 'millions of people deal with Covid-19 symptoms long after their initial infections'. However, the study only looked at pregnant people and children who had Covid-19 symptoms six months or more after they were infected. Therefore, this statement is misleading as it implies that millions of people are dealing with long term effects when the study only focused on a specific group. Secondly, the article states that 'the percentage of pregnant people with long Covid is on the low side compared to the proportion of the general US population'. However, there isn't enough information provided in this statement to determine if it is true or not. Thirdly, when discussing common factors among those who developed long Covid, it mentions obesity and a diagnosis of chronic anxiety or depression as risk factors. It also states that vaccination status wasn't a statistically significant factor which contradicts other studies that have found vaccination to be effective in reducing the risk of severe disease leading to long Covid.
                          • The article claims 'millions of people deal with Covid-19 symptoms long after their initial infections'. However, this statement is misleading as it implies millions when only pregnant and child participants were included.
                          • The article states that the percentage of pregnant people with long Covid is on the low side compared to the general US population. There isn't enough information provided to determine if this claim is true or not.
                          • The article mentions obesity, a diagnosis of chronic anxiety or depression and vaccination status as risk factors for developing long Covid. However, it contradicts other studies that have found vaccination effective in reducing the risk of severe disease leading to long Covid.
                        • Fallacies (75%)
                          The article contains several examples of informal fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing studies without providing any context or analysis of their methodology or reliability. Additionally, the author commits a false dilemma by presenting only two options for long-term symptoms after Covid infection: either they are caused by long Covid or not caused by long Covid. This oversimplifies a complex issue and ignores other potential factors that may contribute to these symptoms.
                          • The first study says that 1 in 10 people who had Covid when they were pregnant will develop long-term symptoms.
                        • Bias (100%)
                          None Found At Time Of Publication
                        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                          Jen Christensen has conflicts of interest on the topics of long Covid and pregnant people. She is a reporter for CNN which has received funding from the National Institutes of Health's Recover Initiative.
                          • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                            None Found At Time Of Publication