The University of Kansas Health System is treating a total of 9 COVID patients today, 11 Monday. Other significant numbers:
- 6 with the active virus today, 8 Monday
- 2 in ICU, 1 Monday
- 0 on a ventilator, 0 Monday
Key points from today’s guests:
Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer, The University of Kansas Health System
- We need to have a definition of long COVID based on the research being done.
- When the COVID public health emergency ended, it felt like some in government had an attitude of “mission accomplished”, but there is still more work to do.
- History is still the most important tool we have and when so many are telling us that they are fatigued or have unusual symptoms, something is going on.
Dr. Mario Castro, pulmonologist & critical care physician, The University of Kansas Health System
- Led long COVID study looking at more than 9,000 patients to help doctors understand what the symptoms of long COVID are to better diagnose patients.
- The study found more than 200 different symptoms among patients.
- It’s estimated that about 700 million people worldwide have had COVID. If just 10 percent have long COVID, that’s 70 million people – and that may be a conservative number.
- Everyone with long COVID is not the same patient with the same causes and symptoms.
Dr. Clifford Rosen, director, clinical & translational research, Maine Medical Center Research Institute; associate editor, New England Journal of Medicine
- Long COVID symptoms come in many forms, many shapes, and many frequencies.
- In many cases, it’s a continuation of symptoms, but in some cases, there are new symptoms 3-6 weeks after the infection.
- New symptoms that develop after the acute phase of the infection is likely the most accurate way to identify long COVID.
- Long COVID is becoming the norm of what we’re seeing, but we are making progress with greater recognition and education.
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director, infection prevention & control, The University of Kansas Health System
- There are still many referrals to the infectious disease clinic for long COVID.
- The vaccine has gotten so complex since initial infections, but we need to watch as people are getting recurrent boosters to combat infection and re-infection.
- Many long COVID patients have the same systems as chronic fatigue syndrome patients.
- There are so many people affected by long COVID on a daily basis, and we are continuing to ask the questions and look for answers.
Friday, Aug. 4 at 8 a.m. is the next Morning Medical Update. Meet a hero who followed through on a bone marrow donation commitment and how he saved a stranger’s life.
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