Four years after the first known case of COVID-19 in the United States, long COVID remains a mystery to scientists. Medical experts called for more research funding at a Senate hearing Thursday.
SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
On this day four years ago, scientists at the CDC discovered the first case of COVID-19 in the United States.
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NOEL KING: A resident of Washington state in the Seattle area is infected.
DETROW: At that point, the new virus and the illness that caused were a mystery, and as the years have gone on, we have learned more and more. But one of the biggest remaining unknowns is long COVID, that constellation of symptoms that plagues some people but not others long after an infection. So where do things stand with long COVID now? That was the topic of a Senate hearing held on Thursday. NPR health reporter Will Stone covers long COVID and joins us now. Hey, Will.
WILL STONE, BYLINE: Hey, Scott.
DETROW: And before we get into that hearing, you’re based in Seattle, and you were on the ground covering those very early first known cases of COVID, right?
STONE: I was. You know, many of us have our first COVID memories, that moment when it suddenly became very real. For me, it was rushing to the Washington Public Health Laboratory and sitting there. No one was wearing masks yet, and the governor and health officials talked about this first case. And if you recall, it wouldn’t be until later in February that we actually realized there were more cases in Washington and elsewhere in the country that had no connection to overseas travel.
DETROW: Yeah. Yeah. And since then, you’ve been covering long COVID for years now. You were watching this recent Senate hearing. What stood out to you?
STONE: More than anything, I would say the very fact that this took place, that it was well attended, senators were engaged – that visibility was a big deal. Many of those who have long COVID, they’ve been ill…
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