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Good morning. The House Energy & Commerce health committee is holding a hearing on long COVID ft. three patients, members of the NIH and CDC, and some doctors. I'm tuning in: https://energycommerce.house.gov/committee-activity/hearings/hearing-on-the-long-haul-forging-a-path-through-the-lingering-effects-of
Here's what you should know: long COVID is a recognized condition in which people infected with COVID remain sick long after their infection. Symptoms range and the NIH is expected to announce grant funding awards to study long COVID in the coming days. https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-03-16/covid-long-haulers-plagued-by-symptoms-as-experts-seek-answers
There are just so many people who are still sick months after their infection. Many have turned to support groups like @Survivor_Corps and @itsbodypolitic to talk with one another and get help. @timkaine even opened up about his lingering symptoms. https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-03-24/tim-kaine-on-bout-with-long-covid-its-personal-and-its-policy
Dr. Fauci and other doctors have noted that some people with long COVID present with symptoms similar to chronic fatigue syndrome. @itsbodypolitic recently sent a letter to the NIH asking for research to build upon existing ME/CFS in looking at long COVID. https://www.wearebodypolitic.com/bodytype/2021/4/22/open-letter-to-nih
Per testimony, the patients and advocates will likely talk about struggles in receiving disability benefits. I wrote about this recently, too, after speaking with a nurse in Texas who fainted numerous times at work and was denied short-term disability. https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-04-15/covid-long-haulers-could-change-the-disability-system
Chair @RepAnnaEshoo points to recent CDC study that looked at >3,000 people non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients. 28-180 days after infection, 2/3 had a visit for a new condition.
"There could be millions of long haulers with chronic symptoms," she says. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7017e3.htm?s_cid=mm7017e3_w
"There could be millions of long haulers with chronic symptoms," she says. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7017e3.htm?s_cid=mm7017e3_w
"We may need a nationwide network of long COVID clinics," Eshoo says. @Survivor_Corps currently keeps a list of clinics by state. Eshoo also points out that long COVID is prominent among women, especially women of color https://www.survivorcorps.com/pccc
NIH Director Francis Collins is now testifying. Again, NIH is likely to soon announce funding awards for projects aimed at studying long COVID.
Director Collins speaking directly to long COVID patients: "Some of you have been suffering for more than a year ... I want to assure you that we at the NIH hear you and believe you ... we are working on answers that will lead to ways to relieve your suffering."
NIH will be launching a meta cohort which will give researchers access to more than a year of data via electronic health records of patients with long COVID. The goal will be to use these records to develop promising treatments for use in patients.
Chief Medical Officer of CDC COVID-19 response John Brooks says CDC has identified 3 types of post-covid conditions: One is long COVID, which is range of symptoms, another is long-term damage to 1 or more body systems and a third is complications from long-term hospitalizations.
Dr. Brooks says they've been in touch with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid as well as the Social Services Administration on long COVID. I will certainly be following up on that 
side note but it sounds like Rep. Eshoo has a grandfather clock that just went off?? let's never return to in-person hearings, just Zoom
Director Collins acknowledging that there's been anecdotal evidence that someone with long COVID improve *after* vaccination but says currently available studies are small and the NIH wants to understand this further. "It might be a possible way to go forward," he says.
Question from Rep. Guthrie: How can we diagnose long COVID early? How do we identify it?
CDC official Brooks: People should get vaccinated and avoid getting sick, but if they do get infected, there needs to be a way to recognize what post-COVID symptoms look like.
CDC official Brooks: People should get vaccinated and avoid getting sick, but if they do get infected, there needs to be a way to recognize what post-COVID symptoms look like.
My follow up to that is: Who is in charge of creating a diagnostic criteria for long COVID? Will CDC issue guidance on what it looks like for physicians?
Rep. McMorris Rodgers asks about a joint letter she sent last month with other Republican leaders to NIH investigating the origins of the pandemic.
NIH Director Collins says there is a serious effort being done to do a follow-up investigation after an original investigation.
NIH Director Collins says there is a serious effort being done to do a follow-up investigation after an original investigation.
McMorris Rodgers also asked about any research into long COVID in children. Definitely crucial right now. NPR just reported that in Michigan many covid patients are children. Collins says they will also be studying children.
Interesting. CDC official John Brooks says there are parallels between long COVID and ME/CFS but cautions that they appear to be different conditions. He was still going but appears to have cut out.
hello @EnergyCommerce everyone sounds like they're underwater all of a sudden 
Lots of technical difficulties but it sounded like Rep. Sarbanes was talking about building out robust systems for people who now have a disability.
Andddddd we're back (I hope): CDC official John Brooks is explaining how the CDC is working on a case definitions of long COVID. It includes interviewing providers on what they're seeing and reviewing datasets of why patients are visiting their doctors or specialists.
Rep. Bucshon says his daughter, who had COVID, is facing persistent problems with her smell and taste. It really goes to show how lingering symptoms impacts so many people.
