According to early research, people of color are the likeliest to develop long COVID, a top health expert told lawmakers.
“We’re seeing trends toward who’s most affected, and again, it’s identifying people of color – African Americans, Latinos – as a high prevalence group developing long COVID,” said Dr. Gary Gibbons, director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, during a May 18 Senate Appropriations Committee hearing.
Gibbons said there were indications that the severity of a COVID case also affected the likelihood of the chances of getting long COVID. He added that there were also signs that vaccination increased the chance of avoiding long COVID.
According to the National Institute of Health, long COVID is marked by “wide-ranging symptoms, including shortness of breath, fatigue, fever, headaches, ‘brain fog’ and other neurological problems.” Symptoms of long COVID can last for months after the first COVID-19 diagnosis.
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