The Ontario Ministry of Health did not respond to CBC News’ questions for an update. Instead, an email reiterated its vaccination, diagnosis, and remediation efforts.
Other provinces are taking other approaches. Quebec has more than 30 long-haul COVID clinics for specialty care, some of which are still in the planning phase.
In March 2023, British Columbia ended its five long-running physical COVID clinics. Now it offers a virtual edition carried out through a team of nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, social therapists and doctors.
“Current data collected in British Columbia continues to show that the majority of people living with long COVID continue to reap the maximum benefits from self-care equipment and methods,” said Dr. Schulz. Adeera Levin, Executive Director of Post-Interdisciplinary Clinical Care. BC COVID. red, he said in an email.
“In-person care does not provide significant benefits or long-term outcomes compared to in-person facilities that are based on the same principles. ”
In Toronto, University Health Network’s Long COVID Clinic facility is designed to help others experiencing difficulties in spaces such as endurance, balance, thinking skills, speech, and swallowing.
An interdisciplinary team conducts initial virtual evaluations and then visits are presented virtually, with in-person or phone follow-up sessions as needed, the clinic’s online page says.
However, “due to limited resources,” the network clinic only treats its own patients, the online page says; It’s possible that Marcel simply won’t be mentioned.
This week, a new study published in Science reported that long COVID patients had several changes in blood proteins linked to prolonged inflammation. An accompanying observation indicates that this could potentially lead to a clinical trial.
Specifically, they showed a buildup of immune cell-related proteins, called neutrophils, that accumulate after infection.
Immunologist Manali Mukherjee, an assistant professor at McMaster University, noted that the latest study has significant limitations: It looked at a small subset of 48 patients, the maximum with severe symptoms that landed them in hospital or intensive care, which does not constitute all people with long COVID.
But despite this, he said the study had important implications and that its findings reflected ongoing studies in his lab and others.
“When neutrophils accumulate infection, they take certain pathways that can be a double-edged sword,” Mukherjee said. The immune formula “can just go unnoticed. That’s what this study says. “
When this happens, other people can develop autoimmune diseases in which their body’s own antibodies begin to attack them, he said.
Mukherjee herself experienced long COVID for 18 months and has recovered.
Despite his frustrations, Marcel said he has also made progress in his recovery and has given up hope of continuing to improve.
“I like to think that one day I’ll have something resembling a normal life again,” she said. “My doctor says I’ll get better with time. “
Journalist
Amina Zafar covers medical science, fitness and infectious diseases for CBC News. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and a master’s degree in Journalism.
With CBC’s Christine Birak and Melanie Glanz
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