Although COVID-19 no longer makes daily headlines, some are on a mission to spread awareness about the impact the virus is still having on the community.<\/p>\n
The University of Waterloo hosted a silent walk on Thursday to raise awareness about the condition known as Long COVID \u2013 when the impact of an infection is still being experienced months after the fact.<\/p>\n
Those who have or had Long COVID, and supporters of loved ones with it, were among those on hand.<\/p>\n
Braiden Sunn said it was tough for him to figure out why he felt so tired all the time last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cI originally went to a sleep specialist and got tested for narcolepsy,\u201d Sunn said.<\/p>\n
He said it took months to determine it was Long COVID.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was bedridden for much of this summer months where I\u2019d basically get up for the day, take a shower, try to make some breakfast for myself, and that was basically my energy envelope,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He said he is finally feeling better after a summer where he could barely get out of bed.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe can get up and move around for about six minutes, and then she has to sit down, lie down,\u201d said Margret Leask, who has a daughter with Long COVID.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome of the more common symptoms have to relate to, chronic fatigue, or tiredness or brain fog,\u201d said Ryan Tennant, a PhD candidate who is studying the impacts of Long Covid.<\/p>\n
He said it is important people are educated about the illness.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think what a lot of people maybe don\u2019t realize is that every time you get an a COVID infection, it\u2019s a cumulative risk. So your risk of getting long COVID after your second infection is greater than after your first and so on,\u201d Tennant said.<\/p>\n
He said prevention should be top of mind.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have the tools available now to us, like really good quality respirator masks that can filter airborne viruses, and tools like opening windows and, running air cleaners to improve ventilation. That can also reduce the risk,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Although COVID-19 no longer makes daily headlines, some are on a mission to spread awareness about the impact the virus is still having on the community.<\/p>\n
The University of Waterloo hosted a silent walk on Thursday to raise awareness about the condition known as Long COVID \u2013 when the impact of an infection is still being experienced months after the fact.<\/p>\n
Those who have or had Long COVID, and supporters of loved ones with it, were among those on hand.<\/p>\n