Registration is now open for free Fresh Air Fund 2023 Summer Programs at community partners in Harlem. New York City children attend Fund sleepaway camps in New York’s Mid-Hudson Valley or visit volunteer host families along the East Coast. Families may register online or at community partners in Queens, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and…
As we near the third full year of living with COVID-19, we continue to learn more about the disease but struggle to understand its long-term impacts. New data has shown that of all U.S. adults reporting a COVID-19 infection, 1-in-5 are experiencing “Long-COVID.”
Globally, this ratio is higher. Long COVID involves biological and longer term physical and social repercussions that affect everyday life. These repercussions are felt more gravely amongst communities of color where COVID-19 has had, and continues to have, disproportionate adverse impacts. Given the rising reports of Long COVID, its long term effect on daily life, and the detrimental impact among racially and socially marginalized communities, it’s becoming ever more important to understand its symptoms, treatments, and above all, prevention.
The Census Bureau’s 2022 Household Pulse Survey estimated that of the 16 million working age (18-65 years) Americans with Long COVID, 2-4 million would be out of work due to Long COVID. The cost of these lost wages could amount to approximately $170 billion a year.
Americans who are working at the front lines, in part time or low-wage jobs, or simply paycheck to paycheck can ill-afford to reduce their work hours to recover from Long COVID. This means that most affected by Long COVID have to either bear its symptoms with little flexibility or time-off to recover, or incur reduced wages which contributes to economic insecurity.
According to the CDC, Long COVID is a condition some individuals experience after having been infected by COVID-19. Long-term effects range from fatigue to respiratory difficulties. Long COVID’s persistent symptoms signify an immune response that goes into overdrive during COVID-19. These symptoms manifest due to internal inflammation and persistence of the COVID-19 virus in the body.
Long COVID symptoms vary in range of severity, but anyone is susceptible to it. Jamie Durchame, a health correspondent with Time magazine, told the AmNews, “You can get Long COVID if you had a very mild case, if you’re vaccinated, if you’re young and healthy. There are even some people who had asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 and then developed symptoms after that that are now diagnosed as Long COVID. So it really can affect anyone, which I think is one of the scarier parts of it.”
Difficulty concentrating and recalling memories (also known as “brain fog.”)
Shortness of breath
Muscle aches and Headaches
High temperatures (fevers)
Cough
Sore throat
As each infected person has reported differing symptoms from COVID-19, each individual afflicted by Long COVID may report differing symptoms as well. Peter Christopher, founder of the Washington Heights Long Covid Community Center, who has Long COVID, told the AmNews, “So what long COVID in a nutshell is like; it feels like something is sucking the life force out of you, like sucking the energy out of you…that sucking becomes just like a huge vacuum and you’re just depleted. So that’s kind of what it feels like. And it’s very depressing because when you look around at the world, it’s like everybody else is still living life and you become a shadow. And so you feel like a lot. You feel alone… It’s scary. And you feel you don’t feel like you anymore.”
The Washington Heights Long Covid Community Center is a developing center based in Upper Manhattan that hopes to provide multidimensional health care for those affected by Long COVID, ranging from access to doctors, to holistic community resources.
Dr. Jason Maley, a pulmonary and critical care doctor at Harvard Medical School, told the AmNews that for years there have been reported syndromes similar to Long COVID that manifest after viral infections have occurred. “They’ve been described going back into the 19th century and there’s been some research around what you might call post acute viral syndromes, people who have symptoms after known infections either from viruses or from other types of infections and that included people who had severe fatigue, shortness of breath, this cognitive impairment that’s sometimes called brain fog and other unexplained symptoms.”
Both COVID-19 and Long COVID are novel, which means that these symptoms and their long term manifestation may vary. Given that many of these symptoms are wide ranging and associated with other comorbidities, meaning that more than one disease is occurring simultaneously in the body, diagnosis of Long COVID is challenging.
Dr. Mady Hornig, an expert in the field of Long COVID and a professor at Columbia University, [full disclosure: the author was a graduate student at the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, however Dr. Hornig was not one of the author’s instructors] states that given the novelty of the disease and that there are no definite diagnostic tools for Long COVID, it is difficult to diagnose and to treat effectively.
“Symptoms can often be [dismissed or ignored] by docs. Docs look into their tool kits and they don’t have the tools to diagnose, and they don’t have the tools to manage or address the disorder even if they were to diagnose it,” Dr. Horning said.
While Long COVID may not be immediately life threatening, Dr. Maley tells the AmNews that it can have a significant impact. “It’s certainly very serious and it’s affecting people in tremendous ways in terms of their ability to function day-to-day and their quality of life and it’s causing really debilitating symptoms.”
Given its lasting impact, it’s important to seek treatment.
Long COVID may develop regardless of the severity of COVID-19; some who have had an asymptomatic infection have reported Long COVID symptoms. Those reporting more severe COVID-19 symptoms are often those who are not fully vaccinated and tend to report more and worse Long COVID symptoms. Because of this, vaccination against the virus may prevent Long COVID, given that those who have been vaccinated are less likely to experience severe or fatal symptoms from COVID-19, as well as Long COVID, than those who are unvaccinated.
Jamie Durchame tells the AmNews that “Your risk is higher if you have a severe case… And then some underlying conditions have also been linked to the risk of Long COVID, like asthma, other respiratory conditions.”
Given that the severity of COVID-19 appears to be linked at least in part to your vaccination status (full dose and boosters), studies also indicate that those who have received the COVID-19 vaccine are less likely to develop Long COVID. Dr. Maley says that the most common way to prevent COVID-19 and its potential longterm effects is to be fully vaccinated and boosted. To be fully vaccinated and boosted:
You must have completed the COVID-19 vaccine primary series (i.e.: if you have received the Pfizer vaccine, these were 2 doses, spaced approximately 1 month apart).
You must have received the most recent booster dose recommended for you by the CDC.
While there are many unknowns about Long COVID, we have learned that there are many socioeconomic repercussions in addition to the health risks. Long COVID has effects including cognitive impairment, fatigue, and fever, to name a few, and such effects can deter productivity and long term wellbeing.
Jamie Durchame tells us that “throughout the pandemic, people of color and people at lower socio-demographic classes have been more likely to get infected by the virus that causes COVID. And if you have COVID, that is the single biggest risk factor for developing Long COVID. So it stands to reason that people in those groups would also have a higher risk, but I don’t know that that’s like a biological risk factor, so much so as a societal one.”
For historically marginalized communities, gaining holistic resources (i.e.: nutritional aid, mental healthcare, etc.) is pertinent to addressing Long COVID. The denial of these resources to said communities only exacerbates public health, making one more vulnerable to the adverse symptoms of COVID-19 and Long COVID.
As doctors and public health experts develop programs to tackle Long COVID, especially amongst communities who experience healthcare access disparities, advocates are asking them to also consider holistic and socioeconomic support.
If you are experiencing any symptoms that may indicate Long COVID, please contact your healthcare provider.
It’s officially hard-seltzer season and fans can celebrate with an entire drink festival dedicated to the bubbly stuff.
On Saturday, July 22, from noon to 10:30pm, Seltzerland is taking over the Noble Lot at Brooklyn’s Greenpoint Terminal for an afternoon tasting of spiked seltzers and canned cocktails from the likes of Viva Beverage Co., Hinni Hard Seltzer, Sunny D Vodka Seltzer, Shimmerwood Beverages, Island District Sparkling Craft Cocktails and many more.
Along with the carbonated fun, there will be games and recreations like seltzer pong, ladder ball and cornhole, hard seltzer and swag giveaways, live DJ sets, Instagram-ready photo ops and vegan food samples from both local and national brands. And as a new addition this year, Seltzerland will be debuting the first-ever “CANtina” presented by Good Foods, where guests can partake in tequila sodas from Casa Azul, fresh guacamole and chips, and more.
All-inclusive tickets will come in three different tiers. The General Access option is priced at $46.18 and will get attendees two-and-a-half hours of festival access, the chance to a variety of seltzers and canned cocktails, a five-ounce plastic tasting cup, a BuzzBallz branded tote bag and sunglasses, vegan food samples (there will be additional food available for purchase on-site) as well as access to all of the event’s games and giveaways. The Early Access option, set at $63.60, affords you all of the above as well as designated expedited entry and an extra 30 minutes to sip on those seltzers. And at $74.49, Premier Access tickets includes both benefits of the other two tiers but pumps it up with a full can of hard seltzer, a specialty cocktail, a commemorative Seltzerland tasting cup and a BuzzBallz branded fanny pack.
Timing options for each ticket type are:
General Access: 12:30pm – 3pm, 4:30pm – 7pm, and 8pm – 10:30pm
Early Access: 12pm – 3pm, 4pm – 7pm, and 7:30pm – 10:30pm
Proceeds from Seltzerland events are donated to Forage Forward, a national organization that supports both local charities and national and global non-profits, with a specific focus on social justice, food banks, food sustainability and food education.
In honor of Juneteenth, the Black Thought Project and Media 2070 joined forces to unveil the Black Future Newsstand, a live, in-person, custom-built installation. The installation is guided by the question, “What does a media that loves Black people look, feel, sound, and taste like in a future where reparations are real?” The launch of the Afrofuturistic newsstand drew a large crowd…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Math and reading scores among America’s 13-year-olds fell to their lowest levels in decades, with math scores plunging by the largest margin ever recorded, according to the results of a federal test known as the nation’s report card.
The results, released Wednesday, are the latest measure of the deep learning setbacks incurred during the pandemic. While earlier testing revealed the magnitude of America’s learning loss, the latest test casts light on the persistence of those setbacks, dimming hopes of swift academic recovery.
More than two years after most students returned to in-person class, there are still “worrisome signs about student achievement,” said Peggy G. Carr, commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, a branch of the federal Education Department.
“The ‘green shoots’ of academic recovery that we had hoped to see have not materialized,” Carr said in a statement.
In the national sample of 13-year-old students, average math scores fell by 9 points between 2020 and 2023. Reading scores fell by 4 points. The test, formally called the National Assessment of Educational Progress, was administered from October to December last year to 8,700 students in each subject.
Similar setbacks were reported last year when NAEP released broader results showing the pandemic’s impact on America’s fourth- and eighth-grade students.
Math and reading scores had been sliding before the pandemic, but the latest results show a precipitous drop that erases earlier gains in the years leading up to 2012. Scores on the math exam, which has been given since 1973, are now at their lowest levels since 1990. Reading scores are their lowest since 2004.
Especially alarming to officials were outsize decreases among the lowest-performing students. Students at all achievement levels saw decreases, but while stronger students saw slides of 6 to 8 points, lower performing students saw decreases of 12 to 14 points, the results show.
There were also differences by race. Students from almost every race and ethnicity saw math scores slide, but the steepest drops were among American Indian students, at 20 points, and Black students, at 13 points. The decline for white students, by comparison, was 6 points, while Asian students held even.
The scores reflect the disproportionate impact of the pandemic’s disruptions on Black and Latino students and those from low-income families, said Denise Forte, president and CEO of the Education Trust, a nonprofit advocacy group.
“Students want to succeed, attend college, start a rewarding career and reach their full academic potential,” Forte said. “But they can’t if they continue to lose precious ground.”
Pandemic setbacks appear to be lingering even as schools across the U.S. spend billions of dollars to help students catch up. The federal government sent historic sums of money to schools in 2021, allowing many to expand tutoring, summer classes and other recovery efforts.
But the nation’s 13-year-olds, who were 10 when the pandemic started, are still struggling, Carr said.
“The strongest advice I have is that we need to keep at it,” she said. “It is a long road ahead of us.”
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said the results confirm what the Biden administration knew all along: “that the pandemic would have a devastating impact on students’ learning across the country and that it would take years of effort and investment to reverse the damage as well as address the 11-year decline that preceded it.”
Still, Cardona said he’s encouraged by signs of improvement elsewhere, with some states returning to pre-pandemic levels on their own math and reading assessments.
The exam is designed to measure basic skills in math and reading. Students were asked to read passages and identify the main idea or locate certain information. In math, they were asked to perform simple multiplication and tackle basic geometry, calculating, for example, the area of a square. Most questions were multiple choice.
Asked about their reading habits, fewer students than ever say they’re reading for fun every day. Just 14% reported daily reading for pleasure — which has been tied to better social and academic outcomes — down from 27% in 2012. Almost a third of students said they never or hardly ever read for fun, up from 22% in 2012.
The test also revealed a troubling increase in student absenteeism. The share of students missing five or more days of schools in a month doubled since 2020, reaching 10% this year. Students with fewer missed days had higher average scores in both reading and math, according to the results.
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The Associated Press education team receives support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Indirectly, the Knicks could have a lasting impact on tonight’s NBA Draft taking place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The team’s chief decision makers woke yesterday to begin their ongoing strategy sessions devoid of a pick in this year’s draft. If the Knicks do not execute a trade, it will be the first time since 2016 the franchise did not make a selection.
However, as a result of several conditions in dealing Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks in 2019, which included the Mavericks placing terms on their 2023 first round draft pick, and acquiring Josh Hart this past February in exchange for three players and their own 2023 first round pick, the Knicks’ calculus seemingly centered on prospects beyond the current group.
Or did it?
They certainly didn’t expect the Mavericks to finish six games below .500 (38–44) and in 11th place in the Western Conference, out of a playoff and Play-In Tournament spot, and increasing their odds in the Draft Lottery to gain one of the top 10 picks. If the Mavericks, which as of the publishing of this article will be drafting at No.10, had fallen out of the top 10, the pick would have been transferred to the Knicks. But the Mavericks placed protections on the pick back in 2019 considering the possible scenario that four years later has manifested.
The Knicks will still indirectly impact this evening’s draft. The Mavericks’ pick and the first rounder New York shipped to the Trailblazers could in the course of time substantially alter those teams’ fortunes and lift them into the upper echelon of league. The Trailblazers will be selecting No. 23. Nikola Jokic (No. 41, 2014), who led the Denver Nuggets to the NBA title earlier this month, and Jimmy Butler (No. 30, 2011), who willed the Miami Heat to this year’s Finals, were taken well after No. 23.
In past drafts, Paul Pierce (Boston Celtics, 1998), Brook Lopez ( Brooklyn Nets, 2008), and Paul George (Indiana Pacers, 2010) were all 10th overall picks.
The Knicks can hopefully look ahead as they have six of their own first round picks between 2024 and 2027. They will also be active, perhaps using those picks, the $12.2 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception, the $4.5 million biannual exception and other assets this summer to upgrade a roster that needs markedly better perimeter shooters and an athletic wing that is a plus defender and efficient scorer.
