Senate hearing highlights Long Covid crisis — but not Covid-19 prevention — while advocacy groups bring their demands to DC
On January 18, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions (HELP) convened a hearing about Long Covid, discussing research priorities and healthcare challenges for the disease. Senators heard from people with Long Covid and scientists studying it in front of a packed room full of Long Covid advocates and allies, along with thousands watching online.
While advocates and scientists agreed the hearing was a milestone in the government’s response to this crisis, they also called out ways in which the event emulated challenges that people with Long Covid face: navigating spaces without precautions against SARS-CoV-2 infection, a lack of accessibility for people with severe symptoms, and insufficient support for accessing healthcare or other facets of daily life.