The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued an advisory Wednesday about mental health symptoms linked to “long COVID,” or suspected long-lasting symptoms caused by COVID-19.
Long COVID occurs when people recover from the COVID-19 virus but then experience symptoms that last more than three months, including fatigue, headaches, sleep problems, coughing, and cognitive impairment. While some medical professionals believe it’s largely exaggerated, HHS has signaled that it’s a real phenomenon.
“Long COVID has a range of burdensome physical symptoms, and can take a toll on a person’s mental health. It can be very challenging for a person, whether they are impacted themselves, or they are a caregiver for someone who is affected,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a release on June 21. “This advisory helps to raise awareness, especially among primary care practitioners and clinicians who are often the ones treating patients with Long COVID.”…