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March 15: World Persistent COVID Day

On March 15, 2023, those who have been affected by Long COVID will come together for the first International Long COVID Awareness Day. This annual celebration hopes to spread information about the impacts of Persistent COVID around the world.

 

Support groups for people with COVID and those living with the disease around the world will come together to host special events online. Spaces will be generated on Twitter to support those who fight against Long COVID and awareness about the disease will be generated. The campaign for this first year proposes posts on social networks with black and white images of something that the person affected by Persistent COVID can no longer do, using hashtags: #LongCovidAwarenessDay and #LongCovid. The mission is to unite people and raise awareness about the disease.

In January 2023, Angela Laffin, a patient of the first wave of Long COVID, started a movement, sending out surveys to the patient community on social media to establish an awareness day and join Long COVID support groups and organizations to international level.

“Persistent COVID is too often left out of the discussion about the negative effects of COVID-19 infections. This day [Persistent COVID Awareness Day] we act together internationally to show that the impact of long covid can no longer be ignored.” -Tove Lundberg, president of the Swedish Covid Association

Social media plays an important role in connecting those within the Long COVID community, as many people are not feeling well enough to work or leave home for more than medical appointments.

“It really came as no surprise that the month of March was chosen for Long COVID awareness as many of those still suffering in the community were infected in March 2020,” said campaign organizer Angela Laffin. “My hope is that this awareness campaign will make the impacts of Long COVID more visible to those outside of our community, as well as serve as a resource connection hub for both Long COVID sufferers and those not yet. they know they are suffering from this disease.”

What is Persistent COVID?

Persistent COVID, also known as post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC), is a disabling disease with a complex list of more than 200 possible symptoms, which affects more than 65 million of people all over the world. “In March 2022, it is estimated that 23 million of Americans potentially suffered from Long COVID. Today, the studies suggest the number could be as high as 41 million people battling Long COVID in the United States. However, there is no cure or treatment,” says filmmaker Joshua Pribanic, a Long COVID patient and founder of LCAP (Long Covid Action Project). “On March 15, we acted in solidarity by calling for an end to the longstanding COVID crisis through bipartisan support to find a cure.”

To help the public take action on #LongCovidAwarenessDay, the LCAP has created a online letter which, once signed, can be sent to all levels of the US government. The letter states: “Despite incomplete data on vaccines, two recent studies from George Washington University and Harvard that looked at infections among 2020 and 2022 found an average prevalence of 40% of persistent COVID, even in these discrete populations that had vaccination mandates. Today we do not have enough clinics, enough funding, education, or enough specialists to care for the growing cases of Long COVID. As a large and growing community, we feel that the United States is not doing enough to meet the needs of this crisis. Therefore, we, the undersigned, demand that your political office explain what steps you are taking in response to the longstanding COVID crisis by March 16, 2023."

It is not clear how long someone could suffer complications from persistent COVID. To date, people have lost jobs, savings, and relationships to the complex chronic conditions that Long COVID creates. While some may find some relief with medications, supplements, or therapies, there is no proven treatment for Long COVID.

To make matters worse, many people living with Long COVID have experienced gaslighting by doctors and loved ones. Unfortunately, most people in the general public do not understand how debilitating Long COVID can be. That is why the March 15 campaign is so important: with education comes understanding.

Awareness campaign

The March 15 campaign will focus on overcoming a host of challenges facing the Long COVID community. Our goals include connecting patients with peer support, resources on where to find social assistance for patients with long-term COVID, educational programs on long-term COVID, advocacy for clean air and prevention, and urgently needed funding for research and reliable government data. .

The community also polled the colors of a tricolor ribbon to represent those affected by the disease. Tracey Thompson, another patient of the first wave of Long COVID, has designed the Long COVID awareness ribbon that the community will wear to represent them. The tricolor ribbon consists of grey, teal, and black: gray represents the losses and sadness of the pandemic, teal represents hope and support, and black represents the loneliness and rest that comes with Long COVID. Thompson has also created graphics on the awareness website that anyone can use: https://LongCovidAwareness.Life

Laffin will begin calling for the United Nations to officially recognize COVID-19 Awareness Day. In addition to uniting those living with Long COVID, we are confident that this campaign will motivate the medical community to take more action to find a cure for this disease.

If you have persistent COVID you are not alone. At Lovexair we can accompany you – online and free of charge – with our respiratory health professionals. Write us at no cost or obligation to info@lovexair.com We are waiting for you!

 

Source:

Press Release: Long COVID Awareness Day Campaign: https://www.longcovidawareness.life/press-release

Press contact:
ILCA (International Long Covid Awareness)
Angela Laffin, Founder
360-674-4015
longCovidAwareness@gmail.com

Organizational support provided by:
LCAP (Long Covid Action Project)
Joshua Pribanic, Founder
419-202-8503
longcovidactionproject@gmail.com