WASHINGTON, D.C. — Thousands of people have died from long COVID during the pandemic, according to a new report from the CDC.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
Experts say the disease is a series of ongoing symptoms that can last for weeks, months and even years after recovering from an initial COVID-19 infection.
READ: Why pregnant women should get their COVID-19 vaccine; a doctor explains
The report found long COVD was linked to more than 3,500 deaths from January 2020 to June 2022.
But researchers believe this number is likely an undercount of the true toll of this disease because clinical guidance on long COVID and how to identify it has evolved over time for doctors.
For this analysis, researchers reviewed death certificates from the height of the pandemic through this June.
It shows the most long COVID deaths happened this past February. A majority of the deaths were in seniors who were 65 and older.
Caregivers: DYK older adults are more likely to get very sick from #COVID19? Keeping them up to date with COVID-19 vaccines is the most effective way to reduce their risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Find your vaccination location at https://t.co/2akIUZ14Rd. pic.twitter.com/K3EbdFV3XD
— CDC (@CDCgov) December 14, 2022
READ: Hacker claims breach of FBI’s critical-infrastructure portal
The report also found white people accounted for more than 78 percent of the total deaths. Black people had the next highest with about 10 percent followed by Latinos with 8 percent.
“With that, there is an access issue and getting the diagnostics on the medical chart,” said Lauren Nichols, long-time long COVID patient and advocate. “As well, within certain communities, there is a lack of simple awareness about post infectious illness.”
Nichols said she has been living with long COVID since March 2020. She believes there should be more training for coroners and medical examiners about post COVID infections too.
“They need to connect the dots that if a patient has suspected or confirmed COVID, even if it’s over two years ago, that their death may be caused by the multitude of systemic issues that result from common COVID,” said Nichols.
WATCH: House lawmakers host final hearing on fighting COVID-19
Nichols said she want Congress to invest more money to research and develop treatments and cures for the disease along with more awareness.
“Because we all deserve to understand the risk at hand, we need to be able to use that to make calculated risk assessments about what we are to do with our lives and our futures,” said Nichols.
Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2022 Cox Media Group
