179 experts. 28 countries. 1 message:
Long COVID is real, multi-systemic, and devastating. It affects over 400 million people. And we're not prepared.
New global consensus just dropped.
https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10…
🧵
Long COVID is real, multi-systemic, and devastating. It affects over 400 million people. And we're not prepared.
New global consensus just dropped.
https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10…
🧵
Comments
Long COVID is not "just fatigue." It’s organ damage, immune dysfunction, and neurological injury—even when tests look “normal.”
Consensus: routine labs often miss it. We need biomarker access. We need real diagnostics. Now.
Functional impairment matters. Long COVID isn’t just about symptoms—it’s about how much harder life becomes even without them.
This redefines the disease. It’s invisible disability at scale.
Consensus: Long COVID includes dysautonomia (POTS), mast cell activation (MCAS), mitochondrial dysfunction, endothelial damage, & more.
This isn’t one disease. It’s a syndrome of syndromes.
PEM (post-exertional malaise) is real. Exercise isn’t always safe.
Consensus: “Graded exercise” can harm if POTS or PEM aren’t ruled out.
No more “just walk it off” advice from uninformed doctors.
Most standard tests will come back normal. That doesn’t mean you’re fine.
Consensus: Advanced imaging, tilt tests, CPET, microclot detection, and mitochondrial function markers are needed—but rarely available.
The kids aren’t okay.
Consensus: We must study how repeated infections affect kids’ brains, immune systems, hormones, and learning.
COVID is not “mild in children” if it leaves them cognitively impaired.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12941-025-00793-9
Does long Covid exacerbate existing issues or are only emergent issues post infection considered part of long Covid?
I've had issues post infection (pre and post vaccination), but they were mostly exacerbations, so I never sought or received treatment on that basis.
so it both worsens ANY pre existing issues, and creates new ones.
multi systemic damage.
I'll have to talk to my doctor to see if it's too late to do anything at this point then.
At least the doctor may be more likely to listen where I live now than they would have been in the state where I lived then. Same insurance company though.🤞
https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12941-025-00793-9.pdf
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