By David Tuller, DrPH
Last month, The Nation published a wide-ranging overview of the impact of long Covid on the United States by Fiona Lowenstein and Ryan Prior. Called The Long Covid Revolution, the article proposed a number of steps for addressing the fallout and highlighted the critical role of grass-roots patient movements in pushing for change. Lowenstein is an independent journalist, the founder of Body Politic, and editor ofThe Long Covid Survival Guide. Prior is a journalist in residence at the Century Foundation and author of The Long Haul.
A few days ago, I spoke with Prior, a friend and colleague, about how he and Lowenstein came to write the piece, why “long Covid” is a political term, and related stuff. I didn’t get to everything I wanted to mainly because I try to keep these conversations relatively short for easier viewing. (Lowenstein, also a friend, was asked to join us but unfortunately could not. Also, I should have combed my hair a bit. And I just can’t stop my eyebrow from hopping up and down.)