For the new school year, all schools in California school districts have been opened with expanded services: 98 percent have increased educational opportunities for returning students.
Thus, 95 percent of school districts in California have expanded mental health and wellness services, 73 percent reported increasing after-school programs, and 83 percent reported increasing learning acceleration programs.
The $123.9 billion K-12 education package has served to create investments in AB 86, which seeks to meet the immediate needs of students.
According to the California government, to support children as a whole in a long-term transformation, $4.3 billion will be used to transform the youth behavioral health system. It will focus on early identification of trauma, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse, among other issues.
In addition, $3 billion will be used to create thousands of full-service community schools; and $650 million in ongoing funding for universal free school nutrition.
For increased learning time, $1.8 billion will be allocated, increasing to $5 billion by 2025, with the intent of achieving universal access to summer and after-school programs.
Also, Universal Transitional Kindergarten or TK for all four-year-olds by 2025, with an additional year of public education.
In this regard, 300 million will also be invested for the prekindergarten teacher portfolio, and 490 million will be invested to build and renovate state preschool, transitional kindergarten and kindergarten facilities.
Finally, with the vision of improving the quality of learning time, the government explained that $1.1 billion in ongoing funding will be allocated for high-poverty schools to hire up to five teachers, educators, and counselors.
It will give $2.9 billion to expand the teacher pipeline and match teachers with vulnerable students, $250 million to attract expert, board-certified teachers to high-needs schools, and $1.5 billion to improve special education.
The country currently has more than 1,450 children hospitalized for COVID-19, the highest number so far in the pandemic, said Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), on Sunday.
The virus continues to advance in the U.S. due to variants, where Delta has been the main strain in the resurgence of the disease, and many of these children hospitalized with COVID-19 are not vaccinated because they are under 12 years of age.
Collins said in an interview on ABC News' "This Week" that the United States is paying "a terrible price" because of the rapid increase in cases, especially among unvaccinated people.
"We have vaccines that we know are highly effective and safe, and yet half the country is still not fully vaccinated," Collins said.
He added that almost all of the deaths are from unvaccinated people. "And now it's younger people, including children."
The situation is becoming very alarming for the country's paediatricians, who say they are worried because "the number of children in hospital is increasing and they are more seriously ill".
With classes back in session, the official asked parents to think of the face masks as a "life-saving medical device" and not as a "political statement or an invasion of their freedoms.
And the use of the masks, he said, will prevent outbreaks that force a return to remote learning.
For her part, the president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Randi Weingarten, told NBC News that 90 percent of teachers in the union have been vaccinated, and she said she is reconsidering last October's policy on voluntary vaccination of its members.
"I think circumstances have changed and I think vaccination is a community responsibility," he said.
On the same program, the U.S. government's chief epidemiologist, Anthony Fauci, reiterated that there will be no federal mandate to require immunization against COVID-19.
However, he estimated that if the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) fully approves the vaccines that now have emergency use authorization, which could happen "in the next few weeks," many companies and private entities could announce vaccination mandates, he said.
The southern border of the United States is experiencing one of its worst crises in terms of immigration policy, despite the efforts of President Biden to provide a solution to millions of "dreamers" and migrants seeking to leave their undocumented status, 6 months after a series of anti-immigrant executive actions carried out by his predecessor, Donald Trump, were reversed.
This was pointed out by experts on migration issues during a session with the media conducted by Ethnic Media ServicesWhile they noted that there are intentions to improve the conditions of more than 11 million people with irregular immigration status, they also agree that it is not enough.
Muzaffar Chishti, director of the office of the Migration Policy Institute at New York University School of Law, noted that the Trump administration was one of the most aggressive on immigration, as in 4 years his office issued nearly 250 executive actions.
Contrary to Joe Biden, who so far has taken 155 actions on immigration policy, where half of them have been to turn around those issued in the Trump administration, the specialist said.
"Biden ended Trump's travel bans, stopped construction of the border wall; and on the first day of his administration announced an aggressive immigration reform package to legalize 11 million, a fact not seen in another presidency in the last 50 years," he added.
However, it has not all been good, as the crisis on the country's southern border has been the main focus of danger in terms of migration.
"In July of this year, 200,000 people were arrested at the border. That's a historic number since 2005. If we let these numbers continue, we will be talking about more than 1.5 million in this fiscal year 2021," Chishti said.
He also recalled that asylum applications have increased and is expected to rise to 225,000 for the next fiscal year, a figure similar to what President Barack Obama had promised for the end of his administration.
He said that the profile of those seeking to achieve the American dream is of Mexicans, Central Americans and other countries of the continent, both single men, women, children and entire families.
"This has created a political problem for the president because all the attention is on the border, especially because Trump is stalking Republicans behind the scenes. That's why the president wants to push immigration reform through amnesty or a law."
For that to happen, however, "you need congressional action, and Congress is divided. Unless you get 60 senators to support it, immigration reform is not going anywhere.
Moreover, he said, as long as the Republican wing continues to view the border as "out of control," few will join Biden's immigration reform.
"If we don't get 10 Republicans behind immigration reform, it's going to be very difficult to get it passed," he said.
Currently, the 70,000 people under the Migrant Protection Protocol (MPP), better known as the Stay in Mexico Program, only active cases are being processed, which hardens the situation of thousands at the border, said the director of the Border Rights Project of the organization Al Otro Lado, Nicole Ramos.
"Thousands of people have stayed in Mexico, some for up to two years. We now have approximately 50,000 closed cases. Instead of reopening all the cases, they've chosen to do it on a case-by-case basis, which leaves people stuck in Mexico for longer periods of time."
The migration situation is complicated when unaccompanied minors are involved
The Border Patrol returns unaccompanied minors, exposing them to greater dangers, which is why the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a lawsuit.
"When minors are accompanied by an advocate who advocates for them, they can enter, but not when they go alone. I'm not going to say that all of them are returned, but they are returned with an alarming frequency".
This reflects the continuation of a migration policy that sends asylum seekers back to Mexico while their applications are being processed, which could take months. And with the current pandemic, the situation becomes tragic.
"It's a complicated issue. We understand that dealing with the pandemic is a health issue, but U.S. citizens and legal residents can enter and leave the country without being subject to any health screening."
He further stated that "we just got word from the government that they are going to stop applications for humanitarian protection in connection with the ACLU case. It's very troubling because it will create a bigger backlog of people who are literally dying to make their asylum claims.
Thus, under the Title 42 removal program there is an open market for organized crime and human traffickers.
"Kidnappings of migrants at the border have increased dramatically, and we've seen tens of thousands of dollars being sent to organized crime in Mexico to pay the ransom."
Added to this is the return of mothers with newborns in the U.S. who did not have the opportunity to receive a birth certificate. "This happens when the mother crosses the border without inspection and during the course of the immigration process gives birth".
"Some mothers don't even speak Spanish. We've seen it with Mexican mothers, mothers from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Haiti," she added.
As a result, she explained that many mothers end up sleeping on the streets in one of the most dangerous cities in the world. "If they are lucky, they can meet a social worker who can find them a place in a shelter.
Migration policy: the two sides of the coin
While it is true that the situation at the border is a "horror show," on the other hand, "there is tangible progress every day in the immigration courts and we are seeing fewer people in deportation," said immigration attorney Ava Benach.
He explained that under Trump there were 60,000 migrants in detention, a number that went to 30,000 so far in the Biden administration. "It's better than with Trump, but it's not where we want to be."
The Washington, D.C.-based lawyer said that the mentality of many Americans regarding migration has changed in the last 20 years, with a much better perspective on migrants, noting that while at the end of the 20th century, most Americans did not see migration as a good thing, today 60 percent of the population considers it beneficial.
Reds and blues
In political terms, the situation has become polarized, as Republicans are less and less in favor of migrants, while Democrats are the opposite. "There is a polarization.
If you're a Republican running for office, and you're perceived as pro-immigrant, you're lost, although younger Republicans have shown more openness and openness to immigrants.
"The new generations after the Baby Boomers - people born between 1957 and 1965 - have become more pro-immigrant, including Republicans. To me, that's good news for the future."
In response to the increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations due to the highly contagious Delta variant, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) today issued two new public health orders.
The first, requires health care workers in California to be fully vaccinated or receive their second dose by September 30, 2021.
The order applies to general acute care hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, including sub-acute facilities, intermediate care facilities, acute psychiatric hospitals, adult day health care facilities, comprehensive elder care program, ambulatory surgical centers, chemical dependency recovery hospitals, and physician offices and clinics.
Also, group living health facilities, dialysis centers, hospice facilities, pediatric respite care and day health centers, and residential substance use treatment and mental health treatment facilities.
It should be noted that the order details that there will only be two exemptions for health care workers in California: religious reasons or rare medical conditions.
The new order issued by Dr. Tomas J. Aragon, director of the California Department of Public Health, explains that while workers are being vaccinated, they must undergo mandatory weekly COVID-19 testing.
"As cases and hospitalizations are on the rise due to Delta variant it is important that we protect vulnerable patients in these settings," said Dr. Aragon. "Today's action will also ensure that health care workers themselves are protected. Vaccines are the way to end this pandemic."
The second order requires visitors to hospitals, skilled nursing homes and developmentally disabled facilities to be fully vaccinated or show a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours. The order applies only to indoor visitors and is effective the first minute of this coming Wednesday, August 11.
Both guidelines reinforce Gov. Gavin Newsom's decision to require health care workers and state employees to be vaccinated or tested weekly, issued last week.
The orders come as California, along with the rest of the nation, grapples with a surge of cases fueled by the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus, which accounted for about 86 percent of cases as of July 21, according to the California Department of Public Health.
Currently, 63 percent of Californians age 12 and older are fully vaccinated with an additional 10 percent partially vaccinated.
California is currently experiencing the fastest increase in COVID-19 cases during the entire pandemic with 18.3 new cases per 100,000 people per day, with case rates increasing nine-fold in two months. Unvaccinated people are more likely to become infected and spread the virus, which is airborne.
Most hospitalizations and deaths today occur among unvaccinated people.
Thanks to vaccines and measures taken since March 2020, California's health care system is currently able to address the increase in cases and hospitalizations, however, additional measures are needed to target facilities across the state to protect particularly vulnerable populations.
Hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and intermediate care facilities serve especially vulnerable populations where COVID-19 outbreaks can have significant consequences such as hospitalization, severe illness, and death.
Vaccines have been available in California from December 2020 to the present, and from January 1 through July 27, 2021, a total of 9,371 confirmed COVID-19 outbreaks and 113,196 outbreak-related cases were reported to CDPH.
The two most common settings for these outbreaks were residential care facilities - 22.5 percent - and SNFs - 9.8 percent.
To date, there have been more than 4,000 outbreaks in residential care facilities, more than 2,000 in SNFs, and more than 450 in California hospitals.
Recent outbreaks in health care settings have been attributed to unvaccinated staff members, demonstrating the risk posed by these individuals.
A 151 percent increase in the number of acres burned in California compared to 2020, Cal Fire said, so it recommended the population to be prepared for any eventuality.
Through his Twitter account he said that in 2020 there were 260,339 acres burned because of five thousand 444 fires, while this year there have been six thousand 091 fires, which have caused the burning of 656,177.
Compared to this same time last year, we have seen an astounding 151% increase in acres burned across California and it is only August! Now is the time prepare yourself and your family by having your go bag ready. Learn what by visiting https://t.co/M15yLZz5Y7pic.twitter.com/26TrLdrESm
He recommended preparing an emergency kit in case of a wildfire or other disaster and keeping it on hand in case you evacuate and have to be away from home for an extended period of time.
The kit should have masks, three days' worth of non-perishable food and three gallons of water per person; a map with at least two evacuation routes, a change of clothing, flashlight, radio and batteries, extra sets of keys and credit cards, cash and copies of important documents.
State of emergency due to increase in fires
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday proclaimed a state of emergency for Siskiyou County due to the Antelope Fire, and for Nevada and Placer counties due to the River Fire.
The fires, the governor's office said in a comunicadohave together burned thousands of acres, destroyed homes and caused the evacuation of thousands of residents in the counties mentioned.
The Governor announced that the State of California was awarded a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to support the state's response to the River Fire.
California also recently obtained FMAG assistance to support the response to the Dixie and Lava Fires, while the Governor issued an emergency proclamation for counties affected by the Lava Fire and the Beckwourth Complex Fire.
In Mexico there are first class citizens, second class citizens and people who, even though they were born in Mexico, are not recognized by the Mexican State as citizens of this country.
This is the case for thousands of indigenous people who are born in communities far from places where birth certificates or other official documents are processed. To obtain these papers, they wait for the civil registry brigades or go to the offices at another time.
Recently, Mexico's two main indigenous peoples' organizations, the National Indigenous Congress and the Zapatista Army of National Liberation, reported the state racism with which officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs treated members of their organizations when they wanted to apply for passports.
The responses received by the people who came to do the paperwork, after making all the payments, the transfers and the lines, were insulting with phrases like these: "That is very far away and the trip is expensive, it can't be that you have the necessary money because you are indigenous", "Let's see, sing the hymn", "now we have to wait until we check if they are Mexicans", "we have to check if the papers are true", "she dresses like India Maria".
One of the most recurrent problems that has been observed is the "extemporaneous" nature of birth certificates, that is, people who go to the SRE to apply for their passport carry a birth certificate issued three years after they were born. In this situation, the application is usually rejected unless additional documents are presented.
In the case of indigenous people who are part of the EZLN or CNI, the matter can be even worse. No document was sufficient for the SRE officials, who have delayed the process for up to five months in some cases.
Were the documents the problem? No.
The problem is racism, xenophobia, fear of the other, of the other, of what is different. That terrible intention of pretending that Mexico is one nation and that everyone speaks Spanish, a pretense that erases the histories of hundreds of peoples that inhabit this country, brown-skinned peoples who have their own language, their own traditions.
An old anecdote tells that the singer Chavela Vargas, born in Costa Rica, used to say that "Mexicans are born where the fuck they want to be born. Not so for the Mexican state. What's more, it's not even enough to be born in Mexico: you have to prove it when it comes to those who have been historically discriminated against.
The science fiction author Neal Stephenson coined the concept metaverse in his novel Snow Crashpublished in 1992, which revolves around the character Hiroaki Hiro, a young pizza delivery boy in real life, but a samurai warrior in a virtual universe.
Broadly speaking, the metaverse is a fictional construction of real life, where people can socialize through immersive technologies such as virtual reality and augmented reality, to name a few.
In this virtual universe, which could be a reality in the next five years, participants interact through avatars or characters created by themselves, trying to reproduce real life in a virtual metaphor environment in third dimension, without space-time limitations.
The topic of the metaverse has become increasingly popular among major tech companies; for example, Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games - the company that developed the popular video game Fortnite - has made several points on the subject.
In particular, his positions refer to the programming code that would be necessary to create such a virtual environment, and he has also emphasized the various limitations that currently exist to make this virtual world a reality.
Facebook's vision; more than a game
For Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, the metaverse goes much further. It is a vision that encompasses the entire technology industry, a kind of immersive Internet where, "instead of watching content, you're in it and you feel present with other people.
Imagine you're sitting on the couch at home, you're feeling bored so you decide to use a Virtual Reality device. Suddenly, you find yourself sitting in the middle of thousands of people enjoying a concert, together with your partner and friends.
In an interview he gave to the specialized technology media outlet The VergeHe pointed out that the metaverse is being in other places, having different experiences like dancing, attending a concert or exercising, that you couldn't have in a 2D application or on a website.
"The metaverse is not just virtual reality. It will be accessible on all our different computing platforms: virtual reality, augmented reality, but also for personal computers, mobile devices and game consoles.
According to Zuckerberg, a lot of people currently think of the metaverse as being about video games, and while much of this virtual universe will be entertainment, "I don't think this is just a game."
Thus, the metaverse he describes looks to be a big part of the next chapter of the technology industry, the developer community and digital commerce, where Facebook projects like Oraculus, which have been years in the making, may soon contribute to our access to a whole new universe.
Every day thousands of new cases of COVID-19 are reported in the country, because, despite calls for vaccination and for people to take the necessary measures to avoid contagion and spread of the virus, many continue to deny its existence and the importance of the vaccine.
In light of these circumstances, P360P has taken on the task of investigating some of the main rumors about this disease and the COVID-19 vaccine, in order to clarify these doubts through the experts.
During the program "The Voice of our Roots", broadcasted by the organization Casa Círculo Cultural through FacebookIn an interview with the radio program "Hecho en California," hosted by Marcos Gutierrez on 1010 AM, Dieter Bruno, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Sequoia Hospital, responded promptly to questions from the audience.
Among the versions given by the listeners and that were asked to Dr. Dieter, the following stand out:
Is it true that the COVID-19 vaccine damages the body's vital organs and weakens the immune system?
A: "FALSE. The vaccine is effective. What the vaccine actually does is help our immune system fight the COVID virus. The vaccine does NOT weaken or destroy the immune system.
"Vaccines are useful because they actually use the immune system to fight COVID."
"It's important to know that, in general, vaccines are very safe and effective."
Is it true that once people are vaccinated against SARS-Cov-2 virus they will die within two years?
A: "FALSE. Vaccines have helped us save lives and they are effective. There's no question that when we look at the COVID activity curves in the different states and communities between last year and this year, vaccines have saved lives.
"Like any medication or vaccine, there are going to be side effects and there will be some people who will have some reaction that will be mild. But vaccines are very safe.
Is it true that people who have received the vaccine are getting more COVID-19 and have more severe symptoms?
A: FALSE: "Many of us know of friends, family members, or acquaintances who have died from VIDOC. That is a very real risk in people who are not vaccinated. There is no question that COVID can kill people."
"One of the benefits we see with vaccination, especially in San Mateo County, is that about 80 percent of eligible people are vaccinated and we've seen no deaths in that group."
Is it true that people with a good immune system and a healthy lifestyle do not get COVID-19?
A: "FALSE, we are happy for people to have a strong immune system, but what the vaccine does is train the immune system to fight against COVID. A person with a strong immune system is just the kind of candidate we want to vaccinate precisely to train their body to fight the virus.
Is it true that there are no deaths due to COVID-19 but to many other diseases, but that the government along with big corporations give money to hospitals to report that so many deaths are due to the virus?
R: "Absolutely FALSE. even if you believe there is a conspiracy in the country to make it happen. Then what about all those who are dying all over the world because of COVID?"
Is it true that the vaccine is experimental and will cause serious long-term effects?
A: "FALSE, I wouldn't call it an experimental vaccine, I would call it an emergency licensed vaccine, and there's a difference there. And relatively soon the vaccine will come out of that status to be just another vaccine."
Is it true that the government and elite groups want the vaccine to kill poor people?
A: "FALSE. The vaccine is not designed to reduce population or kill poor people. The best proof of this is that everyone can have access to the vaccine. Even at the beginning of the pandemic, people with high purchasing power wanted access to the vaccine and could not. The health system sought to ensure that everyone could be vaccinated equally, regardless of their socioeconomic level.
Is it true that the vaccine causes hair loss, weight gain and sterility?
R: "FALSE. The vaccine does not cause any such effect. I repeat, the vaccines are safe and effective and help the immune system fight COVID-19 better."
Is it true that a chip or magnetic material is inserted into people through the vaccine?
A: "FALSE, none of that is true.
The media is reporting a "Delta Plus" variant, should we be even more worried?
A: "YES. The more time we spend with incomplete vaccination schedules, the more variants we will see and the greater the challenge.
If I've had COVID, do I still need to be vaccinated? And how long should I wait after getting the virus?
A: "Yes, it's still a good idea to get vaccinated against the virus even after infection with COVID and the timing of how long people should take has changed. We used to say wait three months and then it changed to once people recover from the disease, no one knows exactly how long it should take. But what is certain is that if a person has contracted the virus and gets vaccinated, they will be better protected against getting it again."
How soon will the vaccine be available for children under 12?
A: "Hopefully in the short term. As time goes on and it gets closer to back to school it's important that everyone is protected. So we're hoping that will happen very soon."
What harm is caused by unvaccinated people to those who have been inoculated?
A: "There are two things that concern us about people who are not vaccinated: the first is that it's easier for them to get the virus, and then once they get it, it's easier for them to potentially transmit the disease even in those who are already vaccinated."
"We tend to believe that people who are already vaccinated are completely immune to the disease, but we now know that the truth is that there is no complete immunity. But, without a doubt, vaccinated people who do get infected recover faster and better. That's why vaccination is still very important.
It seems that we still won't see the end of this pandemic. At least not in the short term, and as if it were not enough with the infections caused by the Delta variant, predominant in the country, specialists are already talking about the "Delta Plus" strain.
In June, India's health ministry said in a statement that studies showed the so-called Delta Plus variant, also known as AY.1, spreads more easily, binds more readily to lung cells and is potentially resistant to monoclonal antibody therapy, a powerful intravenous infusion of antibodies to neutralize the virus.
The Delta Plus strain was first detected in India in April this year, and by June, about 40 samples were detected in six districts in three states: Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh.
However, Delta plus has moved on to other countries, including the US, UK, Portugal, Switzerland, Japan, Poland, Nepal, Russia and China.
It should be noted that the original, highly contagious Delta strain has already been detected in at least 100 countries.
This new strain of the Delta variant has been listed "cause for concern" by the international health agency, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCsaid they will continue to evaluate its independent rating.
While it is true that viruses are constantly mutating and most changes are low risk or even harm the virus itself, others cause the disease to become more infectious, more aggressive and more resistant.
The president and CEO of Meharry Medical College , James Hildreth, told The Washington Post that the way India has skillfully evaded the ravages of the Delta variant and the decision to name the Delta Plus variant as "worrisome" should put public health leaders on notice.
Do the Delta Plus variant vaccines work?
According to Dieter Bruno, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Sequoia Hospital in San Mateo County, California, people should start worrying about this strain of the variant, because with a large unvaccinated population, the havoc will be greater.
"The longer we go with incomplete vaccination schedules, the more variants we will see and the more challenges will come," he said.
Although 192 million 614,017 people have received at least one dose of the vaccine-58 percent of the eligible population-and 165 million 334,987 have a complete vaccination schedule-49.8 percent-it is still too little to stop the advance of the variants and their effects on the population.
It should be noted that our only weapon against this new strain and others is vaccines, as they are still very effective against the Delta variant, their promise is to prevent severe disease, hospitalization and death.
And although to a slightly lesser extent than with the previous variants, it has been seen that both doses are required to obtain good protection, as there are reports of vaccinated people testing positive for the virus but with generally mild or no symptoms.
With research showing that up to 30 percent of COVID-19 patients experience persistent symptoms, Stanford Health Care has been operating a Post Acute COVID-19 Syndrome (PACS) Clinic since May.
For about five months after contracting COVID-19, Rosie Flores lay on the couch in her Mountain View, California, home, feeling so fatigued that standing up was a struggle.
"I remember walking from the couch to my bed to grab a comforter and I was breathless," said Flores, 47, who tested positive for coronavirus in July 2020. "My arms felt like noodles. A phone conversation exhausted me. My life was just living on the couch."
Nearly a year later, that fatigue has finally improved somewhat. She returned to work part-time in December as a project coordinator at Stanford Health Care, and returned full-time in March, but the day-to-day work remains exhausting and she continues to struggle with other symptoms, such as memory impairment, hair loss and balance problems.
In the fall, Flores was diagnosed at the Stanford Health Care clinic with symptoms of post-viral COVID-19 or better known as prolonged COVID.
Unfortunately, so are many people like her. As coronavirus cases have declined across the country since last winter's peak, this newly described illness is estimated to affect up to 30 percent of recovering coronavirus patients.
That situation has drawn the attention of the media, the federal government and the medical community, raising concerns that the long-term public health impact of the disease could be overwhelming.
At Stanford, some doctors who have been treating patients with COVID-19 and researching COVID for a long time realized they needed a clinic specifically for patients like Flores.
"As the pandemic progressed, we began to see patients with all kinds of persistent symptoms after the initial COVID infection, such as fatigue, dizziness, cognitive dysfunction, mood symptoms, chest pain, shortness of breath, insomnia, loss of taste and smell, hair loss and sleep disturbances," said Linda Geng, M.D., clinical assistant professor of medicine, who co-directs the clinic at Stanford.
Persistent symptoms of COVID-19
Media stories about a large number of patients who recovered from COVID-19, but developed new and persistent symptoms, first appeared last summer.
The cause of prolonged COVID-19 remains unclear and the number of people who have it is unknown. It can persist for months and range from mild to disabling. There is no definitive laboratory test to diagnose it, and there are no standardized treatments. In many cases, patients wonder if they will ever get better, Stanford Medicine said.
In any case, he said, enough scientific evidence has accumulated to confirm that the problem is not only real but worrisome, according to the federal government. In December, Congress provided the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with $1.15 billion to study the long-term symptoms of COVID-19.
The NIH named the disease as a post-acute sequela of SARS-CoV-2 infection and launched an initiative to find treatments.
"We don't yet know the magnitude of the problem, but given the number of people of all ages who have been or will be infected with SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, the public health impact could be profound," Francis Collins, director of the NIH, said in an press release announcing the initiative.
In May, a study by Stanford Medicine epidemiologists found that 70 percent of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 had at least one symptom months later; another analysis found that even those with less severe cases of the virus, and who were never hospitalized, were experiencing prolonged COVID.
Stanford doctors and scientists continue to track symptoms and perform imaging as they search for causes and treatments.
The PACS Clinic is designed as a portal that connects patients with prolonged COVID to a multidisciplinary team of post-COVID experts, including pulmonologists, cardiologists and neurologists, based on symptoms.
