“The sensation often felt akin to being poisoned.”

Katherine Francis, 30, has been living with long COVID for three and a half years. “I was originally infected in October 2020, just a week before starting a new job in PR,” Francis told Newsweek. “Three and a half years later, much of my life is still largely confined to the four walls of my home, with occasional outings to various hospital appointments.”

“I’ve been diagnosed with Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia, Dysautonomia, asthma and lung scarring to name a few, all attributed to Long COVID.”

Long COVID can affect anyone, irrespective of the severity of their initial infection. At least 65 million individuals have been affected by this chronic post-viral condition worldwide, a study published in the journal Nature Reviews Microbiology in January 2023 reports, equating to roughly 1 in 10 individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2.

Among the more than 200 symptoms associated with long COVID, brain fog is one of the most widespread and long-lasting, with a recent study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, finding nearly 90 percent of people with long COVID experiencing fatigue, forgetfulness and brain fog. These effects on cognition and memory can significantly alter an individual’s ability to carry out everyday tasks, with one recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine estimating that these impacts on cognitive performance can be equated to a temporary drop of six IQ points.