There are long COVID clinics, but where are the autoimmune disease clinics?

In 2020, as COVID-19 spread around the world, more and more patients realized their symptoms didn’t go away. Brain fog, fatigue, and shortness of breath lasting more than 3 months became known as Long COVID, and clinics popped up all over the country to treat these patients.

Those of us who already had an autoimmune disease recognized the similarities between Long COVID and autoimmune diseases. Research has found biomarkers in Long COVID patients pointing to an overactive autoimmune response. There is also evidence that patients who contract COVID are at an increased risk for developing autoimmune diseases. 

We can't help but wonder, where are the clinics for autoimmune disease patients who experience the same symptoms of fatigue and brain fog? One of our registrants, Therese, reflected on her journey through the healthcare system.

Long COVID may have brought to attention the need for a health system that can help manage chronic illnesses, but there is still much that remains to be done for patients with life-long conditions like autoimmune diseases. We will continue to advocate for autoimmune diseases to be recognized as a major class of disease and for there to be a multidisciplinary approach to researching and treating autoimmune diseases.

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