With the ever-changing nature of our world and the turnover rate of what gets discussed in the news or social circles, it feels like COVID-19 was a lifetime ago. After lockdowns and mask mandates were lifted, people received their vaccinations and returned to their daily lives, as if the problem magically disappeared. But in reality, the impacts of the virus and the pandemic are very much prevalent and active in 2025, hiding behind the newest topics and evermore frequent in-person work days.
Ryan Tennant, a PhD candidate in systems design engineering, and other members of the CARE Coalition (founded in 2023 by students, faculty and staff) are bringing awareness and reminding the UW community that COVID largely impacts people to this day. More specifically, they bring awareness to Long COVID (LC), which is described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as “a chronic condition that occurs after SARS-CoV-2 infection and is present for at least three months. LC includes a wide range of symptoms or conditions that may improve, worsen, or be ongoing.”
This is a good time to emphasize that this isn’t some rare occurrence that people can think they have an immunity to, but rather something everyone is susceptible to. Tennant provided statistics that state: “As of June 2023, 19 per cent of Canadian adults infected reported ever experiencing long-term symptoms… 2.1 million reported they were still experiencing those symptoms as of June 2023.”
Moreover, CARE members have highlighted how LC occurs, stating: “…risk/damage from multiple [infections] is cumulative and yes, healthy people, young people, and kids all can and do get Long COVID.”
So, it’s clear that this problem persists, but it also should be noted that we’re not in the clear from the pandemic, despite what the general public may think. “Terms like ‘post-COVID’ egregiously misrepresent the reality of COVID-19 and the threat it continues to pose to society,” Tennant said. “For reference, a pandemic is defined as when higher levels of disease transmission occur than normally expected globally, and SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate at much higher levels year-round than it did in 2020 when examining various wastewater surveillance program reporting. Hence, the pandemic goes on.”
For people that suffer from LC, a lack of awareness of this unspoken illness means they are unaware that they have it themselves, are dismissed by doctors, or denied workers’ compensation or long-term disability. For a UW student, that means facing symptoms like chronic fatigue or brain fog, which can greatly impact academic performance and livelihood, without them even knowing the underlying cause. Angela Li, a math undergraduate student, highlighted some of the symptoms stating “…brain fog, heart palpitations, and chronic fatigue… COVID infections have been noted in studies to damage a person’s immune response for months afterwards, making people more susceptible to getting sick more often and with worse symptoms than before infection.” The infection also increases the risk of numerous health issues such as blood clots, heart conditions, diabetes, and impaired brain function. On a larger scale, it impacts the labour market and economy, with a CARE Coalition UW staff member stating: “…many people miss work due to Long Covid. Statistics Canada reports a ‘cumulative total of about 14.5 million missed days of work or school due to long-term symptoms.’” Additionally, there are equity issues involved with LC, as women, those with disabilities or chronic illnesses, and marginalized groups are at a higher risk.
As part of the efforts in bringing awareness to the issues, Tennant and other organizers held an LC silent walk event on March 27, seemingly the first of its kind. Regarding the format of the event being a silent walk, Tennant stated: “Long COVID is often an invisible illness, so we wanted to show support for those affected and raise awareness about the need for recognition of Long COVID, more research into the condition, and remedies for Long COVID. The Silent Walk was symbolic of the silent suffering of people living with Long COVID, and was meant to help unite the campus community in solidarity with those currently living with Long COVID.” The event also provided CARE kits which included items like tissues, throat lozenges, stickers, and CA-N95 masks that are very breathable and highly protective against airborne viruses.
Bringing awareness actually can have a massive impact on the lives of those who have LC and prevent others from getting LC. Access to rapid tests or PCRs have largely diminished, deaths and case counts are underreported and there’s difficulty in getting a diagnosis in general. Raising awareness can not only help prevent people from being further infected, but it can much better support those who are currently tackling Long COVID, through further research for Long COVID and better protections from airborne illnesses.
Now that it’s clear this is obviously an ongoing issue that has flown under the radar, what can everyone do? Tennant suggests that everyone should educate themselves and take action, which means, “ (1) staying informed by reading up on Long COVID through credible sources…(2) wearing a high-quality respirator mask…when they are around others, improving indoor air quality by opening windows, turning on the air cleaners indoors, testing and staying home when sick, and (3) sharing information about Long COVID with family, friends, and community.” Li suggests supporting businesses in requiring employees to wear a mask and if you’re part of hosting an event, then to have N95 masks available to those attending. You can also donate to local mask blocs (groups that obtain and supply PPE supplies) like the one in Waterloo Region (@MaskblocWR). Tennant and Li mention the masks to use including KN95, N95, and NIOSH N95.
Help raise LC awareness and start implementing these small solutions into your life, do research, and talk to your friends and family about it.
The following are resources from Tennant and the CARE Coalition team:
Chief Science Advisor’s 2024 report on Long COVID
CARE Coalition information Postcards
