Though COVID deniers still exist, the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc in our communities in 2020 and beyond. Those unfortunate enough to catch the original strain were more likely to die or be seriously impaired, with over 100,000 Americans dying within the first four months of COVID reaching the U.S. Within a year, 400,000 Americans died, and to date, over 1.2 million deaths in our country have been recorded.
As medical professionals learned to treat this novel disease, and testing increased and vaccines were produced, the severity of the illness and the deaths attributed to COVID decreased. Years later, many people have simply moved on with their lives, leaving COVID in the background of daily living much like winter influenza.
However, about 20 million Americans have been diagnosed with long-lasting symptoms from their primary COVID infection, dubbed long COVID. Even so-called mild variants such as the Omicron strain have left people – often young and previously healthy – severely disabled and bedridden.
Brain fog, fatigue and post-exertional malaise are the most commonly reported symptoms, but more than 200 symptoms have been identified, affecting nearly all bodily systems. Symptoms can begin weeks or even months after a COVID infection clears.
These effects can range from being a nuisance to life-altering in a major way. Dianna Cowern, an American science communicator and physicist who was the intelligent and energetic face of the YouTube channel “Physics Girl” was infected with the Omicron variant of COVID at her wedding in May 2022. Within two months, she developed long COVID and became completely bedridden, which continued for years. She could not read, talk, listen to audio books or watch videos. Her days were spent in bed wearing an eye mask in complete silence, reducing the amount of stimuli her body received to near zero. Eating and communicating her needs to her caretaker were her only activities.
Cowern slowly recovered and by May 2025 – three years later – was able to walk independently, and she released a short “I’m back!” video. However, by July 2025, she was bedridden once again.
Being avid fans of Cowern’s, this was my family’s introduction to the horrors of long COVID and why we still wear masks when COVID cases spike locally. It was heartbreaking to see a young, vibrant woman in the peak of health broken to such a low quality of life.
One bright spot in the world of chronic disability is that sufferers of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as ME/CFS, are finally getting attention in the form of research studies and funding, as ME/CFS and long COVID share many symptoms. ME/CFS affects an estimated 2.5 million Americans. The cause isn’t known, though it tends to start with a flu-like infection, leading experts to suspect a viral infection may be the trigger, much like with long COVID.
Nearly 2% of the adult workforce in the U.S. is unable to work because of ME/CFS or long COVID, costing the economy between $30-50 billion annually in lost productivity and health care costs. Although sufferers can request disability payments to help support themselves, it often takes years and more than one application to receive benefits and sometimes requires a lawyer.
The Illinois Department of Public Health recommends yearly COVID vaccines for all adults, including pregnant women, especially those in congregate care or long-term care facilities. It also recommends the vaccine for all children age 6 to 23 months, those 2 to 17 years old with at least one risk factor for severe illness and children with weakened immune systems. Vaccines have been shown to be effective in reducing the severity of COVID.
Illinois no longer follows recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control because of the lack of “rigorous scientific review processes for vaccine-related decisions” following the appointment of vaccine-denier Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., as the secretary of Health and Human Services. Instead, the state of Illinois has formed the Illinois Immunization Advisory Committee, made up of experts from various fields, and follows its guidance instead.
It takes little effort to wear a well-fitting KN95 or other mask in public spaces when COVID infections are high. Although most media no longer report on COVID infections and deaths, they still occur in our communities.
One way to keep an eye on COVID infections locally is to consult the Illinois Department of Public Health’s Wastewater Surveillance System [https://iwss.uillinois.edu/]. Springfield’s wastewater site is Spring Creek. Although the dashboard often runs a week or two behind real time, the information is handy for noticing spikes in RSV, influenza and COVID and taking precautions if it feels necessary to do so.
Carey Smith is a freelance writer who had COVID for the first time a year ago and still experiences long-lasting effects, including brain fog and fatigue. Though she can still work, it has made life more challenging.
This article appears in January 22 – 26, 2026.
