A study suggests that catching COVID-19 significantly raises the risk of developing ME/CFS (formerly called “chronic fatigue syndrome”), a typically lifelong condition that can be debilitating.
A study suggests that catching COVID-19 significantly raises the risk of developing ME/CFS (formerly called “chronic fatigue syndrome”), a typically lifelong condition that can be debilitating.
It sounds to me like a better read of what the study found is that 1 in 22 COVID survivors self report, at least temporarily, some of the diagnostic criteria of ME/CFS, especially post exercise malaise. I’m not sure this reporting rate being extrapolated to being afflicted with debilitating lifelong impairment is a fair read.
I’m not an MIT scientist though, I’m just a science nerd who read the first page of the journal publication who doesn’t have a lot of trust in sensational science journalism media literacy.
Self reporting by the public has pretty big problems in science, people complaining of feeling a lingering fatigue post exercise after a severe viral respiratory infection doesn’t seem quite alarm bell worthy. Lots of people (myself and at least 2 friends included) had long COVID symptoms that lasted months up to around a year but by no means appear to be suffering a lifelong chronic disability from the experience. Others of course, were not so lucky and are struggling with ME/CFS, possibly for life post COVID infection, and we hope for more medical breakthroughs for them.