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“Feel better soon” or “Wishing you a quick recovery” are phrases that many say to show kindness, but for Wachuka Gichohi, a Kenyan businesswoman living with long COVID, they feel painfully misplaced. After four years battling symptoms like debilitating fatigue, pain, and panic attacks, Gichohi, 41, says that hearing such words is a stark reminder of a recovery that feels impossible.
“I think you have to accept, for me, it’s not going to happen,” she reflected, acknowledging the well-meaning intentions behind these statements. Recent research sheds light on the lasting impacts of long COVID for patients like Gichohi. Studies in the United Kingdom and the United States reveal that the longer someone is sick, the slimmer their chances for full recovery.
Research suggests that the first six months after infection offer the best window for improvement, with those vaccinated or who had mild initial infections having better odds. But for people experiencing symptoms over two years, the chance of complete recovery becomes “very slim,” according to Professor Manoj Sivan of the University of Leeds, a lead researcher in these studies published in The Lancet.
He suggests long COVID should be categorized as “persistent long COVID,” much like chronic illnesses such as myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. Long COVID is defined as symptoms lasting three months or more after infection, which can range from extreme fatigue and brain fog to joint pain. The illness, which affects an estimated 65 to 200 million people worldwide, has no definitive diagnostic tests or treatments, though scientists continue researching who is most at risk and what might cause it.
For many patients, relief remains elusive. One British study found that nearly a third of people reporting symptoms at 12 weeks showed improvement after a year, though recovery rates for hospitalized patients were notably lower.
Despite ongoing research, attention to long COVID is waning. In wealthier nations, funding is drying up, while low- and middle-income countries have struggled to allocate resources to this condition. “The attention has shifted,” remarked Professor Amitava Banerjee of University College London, who co-leads a trial focused on treatment options. He advocates for viewing long COVID as a chronic condition that can be managed to improve quality of life, rather than one that can be “cured.”
For those enduring long COVID, the struggle extends beyond the illness itself. Leticia Soares, a 39-year-old from Brazil, has suffered chronic pain and extreme fatigue since her infection in 2020. As a co-lead of Patient-Led Research Collaborative, she advocates for long COVID patients and insists recovery is often mistaken as symptoms ebb and flow. “It’s so profoundly disabling and isolating,” Soares shared, describing her daily battle to maintain basic functioning. told by MSN.
Many patients, including Gichohi, have sought alternative treatments. After her own doctor dismissed her condition, she turned to holistic therapies, moving from Nairobi to a quieter town near Mount Kenya. She now manages her energy levels carefully, receiving acupuncture and therapy.
For some, each COVID wave brings renewed fears. Studies suggest reinfection can worsen existing symptoms, making the future uncertain. Yet some, like Shannon Turner, a Philadelphia cabaret singer, remain resilient. Despite severe symptoms and re-infections, Turner continues her career. “I don’t want to live my life in bed,” she said, voicing a determination that resonates across the long COVID community.
