It’s been five years since the first laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S., a bleak milestone in the early days of a pandemic that touched the lives of everyone. For the lucky ones, the virus mainly meant more precautions: mask-wearing, the occasional COVID test. But for others, a COVID-19 infection turned into long COVID. This is a chronic condition that lingers long after a COVID infection, and can reduce one’s ability to live their day-to-day life.
It’s been estimated that about 400 million people worldwide have had long COVID. Some researchers say that number is much higher. But there’s a lack of research on successful treatments for long COVID.
Some patients living with the condition have taken things into their own hands. A recent investigation documented the experiences of 13 long COVID patients who tried taking Paxlovid for longer than the typical 5-day course. The patients had mixed results, adding to a growing body of evidence that there will not be one silver bullet for treating the condition.
Joining Ira to talk about the results are two authors of the study, who have both had long COVID for years: Dr. Alison Cohen, assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California San Francisco, and Dr. Julia Moore Vogel, senior program director at Scripps Research in La Jolla, California.
Further Reading
- Learn more about the Patient-Led Research Collaborative for long COVID.
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Segment Guests
Alison Cohen
Dr. Alison Cohen is an assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine in San Francisco, California.
Julia Moore Vogel
Dr. Julia Moore Vogel is senior program director for the All of Us Research Program at Scripps Research in La Jolla, California.
Segment Transcript
The transcript of this segment is being processed. It will be available early next week.
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