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The Sick Times

@thesicktimes.org
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Award-winning nonprofit news site chronicling the #LongCOVID crisis. Founded by @BetsyLadyzhets.bsky.social & @MilesWGriffis.bsky.social Website: thesicktimes.org Newsletter: thesicktimes.org/newsletter Donate: the-sick-times.fundjournalism.org

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The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 2h
While there are no data sources on Long COVID in prison, experts suspect rates of the disease may be higher there than in the general population. They face high reinfection risks and poor access to medical care. Read more from @octoberk.bsky.social: thesicktimes.org/2026/09/29/i...
A graphic shows two images side by side. One are mobility devices, including many walkers, outside of prison cells. Another shows a red SARS-CoV-2 virus contrasted with a black background. The text reads, “The Sick Times. I interviewed five people with Long COVID in prison. They are invisible in the system. By October Krausch. Meanwhile, her cellmate, Wayland Scott, says he has frequently had problems breathing after COVID-19, and gets winded going up the stairs he must take to get to his cell. Even so, he has not been able to receive an inhaler, despite having one before Long COVID when he first came to prison. “There was a year that they had a big shortage of the albuterol. And when that happened, I got taken off of my inhaler and I’ve never been able to get it back,” he said.
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The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 20h
The current COVID-19 picture remains varied by region: as the summer wave continues into early fall, cases are trending up in the Northeast and parts of the West and down in the South. And an upcoming gap between CDC contracts will further restrict available data. thesicktimes.org/2026/09/29/n...
Graphic from The Sick Times sharing the latest COVID-19 trends for September 29, 2026. The graphic presents trends for three metrics: WastewaterSCAN category for SARS-CoV-2, which is "high" (represented with red) and slightly decreasing (represented with a diagonal down arrow); CDC wastewater viral activity level for SARS-Cov-2, which is "low*" (darker yellow) and stable (side to side arrow); and CDC COVID-19 test positivity, which is moderate (darker yellow) and slightly decreasing. Text below these metrics reads: "*CDC wastewater viral activity levels are calculated based on measurements in the last two years only. They do not account for the lower spread that could be possible with more widespread precautions."

The current COVID-19 picture remains varied by region: as the summer wave continues into early fall, cases are trending up in the Northeast and parts of the West and down in the South. And an upcoming gap between CDC contracts will further restrict available data.
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betsy ladyzhets 😷 @betsyladyzhets.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Really proud to publish this piece by @octoberk.bsky.social on Long COVID in prisons. "All those who spoke to @thesicktimes.org lacked Long COVID–informed medical care, but more than that, they lacked access to basic information about the disease." thesicktimes.org/2026/09/29/i...
thesicktimes.org
I interviewed five people with Long COVID in prison. They are invisible in the system. - The Sick Times
While there are no data sources on Long COVID in prison, experts suspect rates of the disease may be higher there than in the general population. They face high reinfection risks and poor access to me...
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Miles W. Griffis @mileswgriffis.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
"John Richard Green, who is imprisoned in Texas, wrote that, w/ Long COVID, his health is “more messed up than the floor of a New York cab...Now I am bedbound, sick, and all alone." Vital feature by @octoberk.bsky.social about the disease's invisibility in prison. thesicktimes.org/2026/09/29/i...
thesicktimes.org
I interviewed five people with Long COVID in prison. They are invisible in the system. - The Sick Times
While there are no data sources on Long COVID in prison, experts suspect rates of the disease may be higher there than in the general population. They face high reinfection risks and poor access to me...
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october "pre-order The Struggle Is Always Worth It now!" krausch @octoberk.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
this investigation on long COVID inside of prisons is out today at the Sick Times! I worked on this piece for months and am so grateful to the folks who shared their experiences with me. I'll write up a real thread a little later, but you can read it now: thesicktimes.org/2026/09/29/i...
thesicktimes.org
I interviewed five people with Long COVID in prison. They are invisible in the system. - The Sick Times
While there are no data sources on Long COVID in prison, experts suspect rates of the disease may be higher there than in the general population. They face high reinfection risks and poor access to me...
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Heather Hogan @heatherhogan.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
It would be so cool if you would take this survey! Instagram is right on your tail with their engagement in our survey, Bluesky! Come on now, don't let META beat you!!!!
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The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 26/09/2026
We want to hear from you and understand how you engage with The Sick Times. Please take this quick survey to let us know what you think: www.surveymonkey.com/r/SS6ZH8S
A black background with white text reads, “If you have 5 minutes, we’d love your feedback on our Long COVID journalism. What do you say? Take the survey. The Sick Times.”
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colin feral @sal.gay · 26/09/2026
A great time to revisit this piece by @mileswgriffis.bsky.social!
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These Are the Drag Artists and Organizers Fighting to Make Queer Spaces More COVID Safe
Air purifier lending libraries, mask blocs, and mutual aid initiatives are just a few of the ways activists are making spaces where LGBTQ+ people gather more COVID-safe.
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The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 25/09/2026
Study: More evidence of reduced blood flow to the brain of people with Long COVID Analysis: The U.S. is ill-equipped to respond to LC and future mass disabling events Preprint: Assessed over 700 LC clinical trials and found that they emphasized treating symptoms thesicktimes.org/2026/09/22/r...
A visual shows functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of the brain, which allow researchers to visualize the activity of the brain. Three scans surround a 3-d image of a human head with a view into their brain. The text reads, “The Sick Times. Long COVID research updates. A small study found more evidence of reduced blood flow to the brain of people with Long COVID. New analysis: The U.S. is ill-equipped to respond to Long COVID and future mass disabling events. A recent preprint assessed over 700 Long COVID clinical trials and found that they emphasized treating symptoms.” A small study in NeuroImage: Reports has found more evidence of reduced blood flow to the brain of people with Long COVID. The authors concluded that this abnormality was linked with fatigue, after they assessed brain imaging results of 22 people with Long COVID and compared them with 19 controls. Participants of the study performed a 20-minute cognitive test called psychomotor vigilance task (PVT), while undergoing a type of MRI that tracks blood flow. People with Long COVID reported much higher fatigue than controls both before and after the task, and “exhibited significantly longer reaction times during the PVT,” the authors concluded.
The U.S. is ill-equipped to respond to Long COVID and future mass disabling events, a new analysis argues in The Journal of Medical Humanities. Author Philip Finkelstein evaluated the disease through the lens of securitization, or, how public challenges are viewed as existential security threats. He found that modern security strategies remain “shortsighted and poorly attuned to threats that operate insidiously, eroding societies from within.” He stated that to properly address the security of Long COVID on society, the U.S. would need to invest in long-term care, workplace accommodations, and social support, but that these solutions are not “geopolitically advantageous.” 
A recent preprint shared in Research Square assessed over 700 Long COVID clinical trials and found that they emphasized treating symptoms. Only 57 of the 714 trials addressed post-exertional malaise (PEM), prevalent in a subtype of Long COVID, and only eight of those trials used PEM as primary endpoint. “There is a substantial unmet need for well-powered, mechanism-based, disease-modifying trials with biomarker-driven designs and objective, exertion-based endpoints,” the researchers concluded. Still, researchers stated they used a conservative research strategy, which may have missed some studies.
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The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 24/09/2026
1,700 people have signed a petition asking for a pause and independent review of a Long COVID trial planning to test the Lighting Process, a pseudoscientific mind-body program that outside experts have heavily criticized. Read more from spichaksimon.bsky.social: thesicktimes.org/2026/09/22/p...
A close up of a grey stone building at McMaster University. Ivy crawls across the building, changing color in fall. It appears green, orange, and red. The text reads, “The Sick Times. People with Long COVID demand pause of McMaster University clinical trial. By Simon Spichak. Reporting.” Key points you should know:

A petition signed by 1,700 people asks for a pause and independent review of a trial run by McMaster University researchers who want to test the Lightning Process.
 
The Lightning Process is a pseudoscientific mind-body program to try to treat Long COVID that has been accused of exploiting people with Long COVID and related diseases.
 
The trial is designed in part by a Lightning Process practitioner and prescreens participants for motivation using a questionnaire that isn’t validated for Long COVID.
 
There are very few trials and little funding in Canada for Long COVID research, and advocates believe that studying the Lightning Process instead of pathobiological pathways is a waste of funding.
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The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 24/09/2026
We need your help! Please take this quick survey and tell us how we’re doing. www.surveymonkey.com/r/SS6ZH8S
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Take our annual audience survey to let us know how we’re doing and be entered to win a Sick Times hat!

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Take the survey.
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Maria Christou @mariacervin.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Congratulations @thesicktimes.org 🥳
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samantha riedel @samanthawrites.net · 23/09/2026
"Disability activists warned for years that this would be the outcome of allowing COVID-19 to spread unmitigated. Now that it’s time to pay the piper, the state and its media allies are working desperately to sever the connection between COVID-19 and its consequences."
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Miles W. Griffis @mileswgriffis.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
NEW ⭐: The Sick Times is listed as a finalist in NASW's Journalism Awards for our story on axed RECOVER grants for #LongCOVID. We're so proud of our small publication; Congrats to all the finalists and winners from ProPublica, NYT, the Guardian, Science, and others! www.nasw.org/2026Sciencei...
nasw.org
Announcing the 2026 NASW Science in Society Journalism Award winners
The National Association of Science Writers and its Awards Committee are pleased to announce the winners of the <strong>2026 NASW Science in Society Journalism Awards.</strong> This year, NASW is awar...
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The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 23/09/2026
The Telegraph recently published an article about "sickfluencers" titled “How having a disability became cool." We've republished a piece by Julia Doubleday at The Gauntlet pushing back against the article, which she calls "absurd on its face." thesicktimes.org/2026/09/21/c...
A young woman stands by a staircase with a backdrop of tree canopy.  She wears a white, high quality mask and has long dark hair. She wears a teal sweatshirt and black pants. The text reads, “The Gauntlet x The Sick Times. COVID-19 — not TikTok — is disabling young women “Sickfluencers” are symptoms of a mass disabling event. By Julia Doubleday.” “The country is sicker than it’s ever been before” — now why would that be? Six years after COVID-19 hit, four years after the virus has been allowed to run totally rampant without mitigation, the country is sicker than it’s ever been before, but we can’t come up with any reason why that would be other than “women be faking?”
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Simon Spichak @spichaksimon.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
For @thesicktimes.org, I covered a petition that over 1,700 people have signed calling for a pause to a trial that's applying for ethical approval to test a psuedoscientific program for #LongCOVID called The Lightning Process. thesicktimes.org/2026/09/22/p... 1/n
Screenshot of Sick Times article. Title: "People with Long COVID demand pause of McMaster University clinical trial"

DEK: The trial, run by researchers at McMaster University in Canada, is testing the Lightning Process, a pseudoscientific mind-body program that outside experts have heavily criticized.

Image: A college buildingey points you should know:

A petition signed by 1,700 people asks for a pause and independent review of a trial run by McMaster University researchers who want to test the Lightning Process.
 
The Lightning Process is a pseudoscientific mind-body program to try to treat Long COVID that has been accused of exploiting people with Long COVID and related diseases.
 
The trial is designed in part by a Lightning Process practitioner and prescreens participants for motivation using a questionnaire that isn’t validated for Long COVID.
 
There are very few trials and little funding in Canada for Long COVID research, and advocates believe that studying the Lightning Process instead of pathobiological pathways is a waste of funding.
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Am Chima @ace9801.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Thank you @spichaksimon.bsky.social for this fantastic article highlighting the “bogus quackery” that continues to surface in this landscape. And thank you to @thesicktimes.org for your part in making this happen. #LongCOVID #PAIS #IACCIs #MEcfs #pwME thesicktimes.org/2026/09/22/p...
thesicktimes.org
People with Long COVID demand pause of McMaster University clinical trial - The Sick Times
The trial, run by researchers at McMaster University in Canada, is testing the Lightning Process, a pseudoscientific mind-body program that outside experts have heavily criticized.
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The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 22/09/2026
COVID-19 spread seems to have peaked for the summer in the South, but may still be increasing in the West and is starting to go up more in Northern states. thesicktimes.org/2026/09/22/n...
Graphic from The Sick Times sharing the latest COVID-19 trends for September 22, 2026. The graphic presents trends for three metrics: WastewaterSCAN category for SARS-CoV-2, which is "high" (represented with red) and slightly increasing (represented with a diagonal up arrow); CDC wastewater viral activity level for SARS-Cov-2, which is "low*" (darker yellow) and stable (side to side arrow); and CDC COVID-19 test positivity, which is moderate (darker yellow) and slightly decreasing (diagonal down arrow). Text below these metrics reads: "*CDC wastewater viral activity levels are calculated based on measurements in the last two years only. They do not account for the lower spread that could be possible with more widespread precautions."

While national averages for COVID-19 metrics appear to be at a peak or plateau as of mid-September, the picture actually looks pretty different from region to region. COVID-19 spread seems to have peaked for the summer in the South, but may still be increasing in the West and is starting to go up more in Northern states.
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Miles W. Griffis @mileswgriffis.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Over 1,700 people have signed a petition calling on McMaster University to review a Long COVID clinical trial evaluating a pseudoscientific "mind body" program. "It seems like we're in the dark ages," the petition author told @spichaksimon.bsky.social thesicktimes.org/2026/09/22/p...
thesicktimes.org
People with Long COVID demand pause of McMaster University clinical trial - The Sick Times
The trial, run by researchers at McMaster University in Canada, is testing the Lightning Process, a pseudoscientific mind-body program that outside experts have heavily criticized.
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betsy ladyzhets 😷 @betsyladyzhets.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Today @thesicktimes.org: People with Long COVID are demanding a pause and review for a planned clinical trial that would test the Lightning Process, a pseudoscientific mind-body treatment. By @spichaksimon.bsky.social: thesicktimes.org/2026/09/22/p...
thesicktimes.org
People with Long COVID demand pause of McMaster University clinical trial - The Sick Times
The trial, run by researchers at McMaster University in Canada, is testing the Lightning Process, a pseudoscientific mind-body program that outside experts have heavily criticized.
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Miles W. Griffis @mileswgriffis.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
"Now that it’s time to pay the piper, the state and its media allies are working desperately to sever the connection between COVID-19 and its consequences." Julia Doubleday takes down an ableist Telegraph column that denies the reality of Long COVID. thesicktimes.org/2026/09/21/c...
thesicktimes.org
COVID-19 — not TikTok — is disabling young women - The Sick Times
The Telegraph published an article titled, “How having a disability became cool." This article shores up the government narrative that rising rates of disability are being driven, not by the ongoing a...
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betsy ladyzhets 😷 @betsyladyzhets.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Today @thesicktimes.org: We republished a recent piece by Julia Doubleday at The Gauntlet, pushing back on a much-derided ableist article in The Telegraph. "The state and its media allies are working desperately to sever the connection between COVID-19 and its consequences."
thesicktimes.org
COVID-19 — not TikTok — is disabling young women - The Sick Times
The Telegraph published an article titled, “How having a disability became cool." This article shores up the government narrative that rising rates of disability are being driven, not by the ongoing a...
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Heather Hogan @heatherhogan.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Help us get better!
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Miles W. Griffis @mileswgriffis.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
We’re always looking for ways to improve our work at The Sick Times. Please help us by filling out this short survey to help us learn more about our readers and how we can make our publication even better 🙏🏼
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The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 21/09/2026
We want to know how you feel about the job we’re doing at The Sick Times. Please help us by taking this quick survey: www.surveymonkey.com/r/SS6ZH8S
A black background with white text reads, “If you have 5 minutes, we’d love your feedback on our Long COVID journalism. What do you say? Take the survey. The Sick Times.”
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Marushka-T @marushka-t.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
When climate collapse and a pandemic response are managed by capitalism, not science. #COVID #capitalism #pandemic #publichealth #climatecollapse
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The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 18/09/2026
🦠 Study: Repeat SARS-C0V-2 infections were linked to a higher odds of new health conditions 📝 Long COVID, myalgic encephalomyelitis, and post-treatment Lyme disease are included as priorities in the new NIAID 2026-2030 Strategic Plan thesicktimes.org/2026/09/15/r...
A colorful red, orange, and purple microscopic image shows coronavirus particles in vibrant detail. The text reads, “The Sick Times. Long COVID research updates. Study: Repeat SARS-C0V-2 infections were linked to a higher odds of new health conditions. Long COVID, myalgic encephalomyelitis, and post-treatment Lyme disease are included as priorities in the new NIAID 2026-2030 Strategic Plan.” Repeat SARS-C0V-2 infections were linked to a higher odds of new health conditions, according to a new study in the Canada Communicable Disease Report. Researchers assessed data from 9,000 people who responded to a self-reported survey between 2020 and 2023, and found that those with more than two SARS-CoV-2 infections had a 76% higher risk of a new diagnosis compared to those who had not reported any infections. The survey covered a broad range of diagnoses, including respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, and musculoskeletal conditions. The authors cautioned that the results could not prove that SARS-CoV-2 infection caused the new conditions due to limitations of the study.
Long COVID, myalgic encephalomyelitis, and post-treatment Lyme disease are included as priorities in the new NIAID 2026-2030 Strategic Plan. The National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases claims it will center on finding both risk factors and underlying mechanisms.“NIAID remains committed to supporting research to develop person-centered prevention and treatment strategies that improve the quality of life of those impacted by long-term conditions following clearance of an infection,” the plan states. Still, it’s unclear how NIAID plans to fund additional research for these diseases.
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The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 17/09/2026
This week at The Sick Times, Selina Nwulu argues that corporate interests have had more say in our behaviors toward both COVID-19 and the climate crisis than any evidence-based public health response. thesicktimes.org/2026/09/15/d...
A demonstrator holds a cardboard sign that reads  "People Not Profit". The demonstrator has long hair and wears a high quality black mask. The text reads, “The Sick Times. Denial is a tactic for both the COVID-19 and climate crises. By Selina Nwulu. Commentary.” Corporate influences in today’s age don’t look like outright denial; instead, leaders insist on the smoke and mirrors of “business as usual.” 
Living in this denial, and subsequent neglect, is catastrophic on both a practical and existential level. What does it do to our sense of self and safety to be routinely gaslit out of reacting in real time to the crises that surround us?
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Miles W. Griffis @mileswgriffis.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
"Mainstream outlets have published misinformation on Long COVID, calling it [psychosomatic] despite the plethora of research that proves it’s a biological disease. This parallels climate nonexperts questioning climate change’s seriousness and calling it a “hoax.”" thesicktimes.org/2026/09/15/d...
thesicktimes.org
Denial is a tactic for both the COVID-19 and climate crises - The Sick Times
Corporate interests have had more say in our behaviors toward both COVID-19 and the climate crisis than any evidence-based public health response.
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The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 16/09/2026
This summer’s COVID-19 wave may have reached its peak in some parts of the country, as major metrics report disease levels stagnating or starting to decline as of early September. But levels remain high in many places, particularly in the West and South. thesicktimes.org/2026/09/15/n...
Graphic from The Sick Times sharing the latest COVID-19 trends for September 15, 2026. The graphic presents trends for three metrics: WastewaterSCAN category for SARS-CoV-2, which is "high" (represented with red) and stable (represented with a side to side arrow); CDC wastewater viral activity level for SARS-Cov-2, which is "very low*" (lighter yellow) and stable; and CDC COVID-19 test positivity, which is moderate (darker yellow) and stable. Text below these metrics reads: "*CDC wastewater viral activity levels are calculated based on measurements in the last two years only. They do not account for the lower spread that could be possible with more widespread precautions." Wastewater data from the CDC and Biobot Analytics report that national averages of SARS-CoV-2 in sewage have leveled off in recent weeks. WastewaterSCAN still reports an increasing national average through early September, but the rate of that increase has slowed down a lot compared to the rapid climb reported in August.

The West and South have reported the highest SARS-CoV-2 levels in wastewater throughout this wave. In the West, wastewater data from both WWSCAN and Biobot suggest that COVID-19 outbreaks may still be growing in some places.Based on wastewater data, this summer’s wave appears to have included fewer COVID-19 cases than prior summers’. However, such comparisons always need to come with a large grain of salt, because scientists don’t have a great sense of how the coronavirus’ continued evolution, as well as the many other factors that make wastewater data messy, has impacted the way individual infections show up in sewage.

While the COVID-19 wave may be peaking, other viruses are slowly starting to enter the picture.The CDC’s flu surveillance network reports growing cases of influenza-like illness, or people seeking healthcare for fever plus cough or sore throat, over recent weeks. This is a broad metric that can include some COVID-19 cases along with flu, RSV, and other viruses that cause similar respiratory symptoms.
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The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 15/09/2026
Novel drug bezisterim may help improve fatigue, post-exertional malaise, and neurological symptoms in people with Long COVID, according to preliminary clinical trial results that the treatment’s developer, BioVie, shared this morning. thesicktimes.org/2026/09/15/b...
ID: A hand placing a pill in a weekly organizer. The text reads, “The Sick Times. Bezisterim may help with some Long COVID symptoms, drug’s developer reports in early trial results. By Betsy Ladyzhets. News.” The following slides feature quotes from the story at The Sick Times. 

“What really stands out to me about the data that have been presented today is that it shows a very clear direction” toward improving key symptoms, said Ezra Spier, a Long COVID patient-researcher who advised the trial team, during the webinar. “It gives the community some hope, because we’ve been seeing trial fail after fail after fail. Seeing something that provides demonstrated impact, I think is really exciting.”
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betsy ladyzhets 😷 @betsyladyzhets.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
NEW: Novel drug bezisterim might help with fatigue, PEM, and neurological symptoms in Long COVID, according to preliminary results BioVie shared today. These are early findings that will need more review, but it's exciting to see a positive trial result for once! More @thesicktimes.org:
thesicktimes.org
Bezisterim may help with some Long COVID symptoms, drug’s developer reports in early trial results - The Sick Times
While the phase 2 clinical trial results, shared by BioVie in a webinar on Tuesday, have yet to be peer-reviewed, investigators say they can inform a confirmatory phase 3 trial.
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Miranda 🌸 @crookedneighbor.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Oh also everyone please go read this impossibly beautiful essay by @mileswgriffis.bsky.social, which captures the massive losses of the last 6+ years against the visceral backdrop of climate grief. Truly one of the best pieces of writing that I've read in years, and I hope it will be widely shared.
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Annette Parde-Maass @netlibrarian.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
“When one neurologist told me I was “just depressed and anxious,” I finally said, “We’re going to stop the gaslighting right now.””
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Heather Hogan @heatherhogan.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
I've read this at least five times now and cried every single time. @mileswgriffis.bsky.social has the most beautiful heart.
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Robin Hoshiko @robinoliver.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
This is one of my favorite places in the world and I love to see the care and effort put into memorializing something most wish to move on from while doing material good here and now
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Miles W. Griffis @mileswgriffis.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
I wrote about an (informal) memorial I made in a burn scar that killed 1.3 million Joshua trees, nearly the same “official” U.S. death toll of the pandemic. Now, I plant the yuccas in remembrance of those who died of Long COVID and ME 🪾🪏 thesicktimes.org/2026/09/08/w...
thesicktimes.org
We made a COVID-19 memorial in the ashes of a Joshua tree forest - The Sick Times
Despite nearly 1.3 million deaths and counting, there is still not a national memorial for the pandemic. Our informal memorial in the middle of the Mojave Desert is one small way to remember those we’...
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The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 08/09/2026
As @mileswgriffis.bsky.social and his husband participated in the effort to rehabilitate the burn scar from the 2020 Dome Fire, the ritual of planting the Joshua trees took on an even greater meaning when he realized the uncanny overlaps with the COVID-19 pandemic. thesicktimes.org/2026/09/08/w...
Black text over an image of the Dome Fire burn scar reads, “After a lightning bolt hit the forest in August 2020, igniting the fire, Cima Dome became forever bound to the COVID-19 pandemic for me. It was the year I lost both my health and my refuge. Things only got worse in 2023, when a second fire broke outignited in the preserve, burning nearly 100,000 acres and killing another 1 million Joshua trees. Where do you mourn when your sanctuary suddenly becomes a place to grieve? Miles W. Griffis, The Sick Times.” Black text over an image of the Dome Fire burn scar reads, “Because I lost my abilities to the pandemic, this wild gardening has given me some control to confront two crises at once. I plant Joshua trees and leave out water for our nonhuman neighbors to offer mutual aid for the environment. I name each tree to oppose our society’s denial of the pandemic’s “incalculable” mass death and its continuing effects. I imagine each Joshua tree as a spiked fist rising from the ashes of indifference. Miles W. Griffis, The Sick Times.” 
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The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 03/09/2026
This week's #LongCOVID research updates from @mileswgriffis.bsky.social: thesicktimes.org/2026/09/01/r...
A scanning electron micrograph (SEM) image shows a blood clot, made up of blood cells tangled in grey appearing fibrin. The text reads, "The Sick Times. Long COVID research updates. 

Study: People with Long COVID are at a higher risk for cardiovascular, renal, and pulmonary outcomes

NASEM announced a new study on the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection across all age groups and its implications for the military

A new trial for myalgic encephalomyelitis will study Intermittent Hypoxia-Hyperoxia Treatment 

RECOVER-VITAL’s clinical trial testing Paxlovid for Long COVID has formally published their results
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Heather Hogan @heatherhogan.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Another home run from @betsyladyzhets.bsky.social!
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The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 02/09/2026
On Friday, The Sick Times broke the news that the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is funding a new clinical trials program for Long COVID with an initial grant of $8 million. This week we have more reporting from Betsy Ladyzhets about PROBE-PASC. thesicktimes.org/2026/09/01/d...
ID: A view of the U.S. Pentagon building at night reflecting in the Potomac River. Five bright lights emit from the building like stars. The text reads, “The Sick Times. Department of Defense funds $8 million grant for Long COVID trials. The first study in a new mechanistic clinical trials program will test Pemgarda and hydroxychloroquine alone and in combination. By Betsy Ladyzhets. Reporting.”
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betsy ladyzhets 😷 @betsyladyzhets.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Today @thesicktimes.org: Lots of details from me on the Department of Defense grant funding a new Long COVID clinical trials program. The story includes context on past DOD medical research funding, comments & slides from Michael Peluso (PI of the new program), and more:
thesicktimes.org
Department of Defense funds $8 million grant for Long COVID trials - The Sick Times
A new U.S. clinical trials program called PROBE-PASC was announced on Friday at a Long COVID conference in Amsterdam. The program received initial funding of $8 million from a Department of Defense (D...
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The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 01/09/2026
The U.S.’s summer 2026 COVID-19 wave is in full swing. All disease tracking metrics report increased spread across the country, and the school year’s start and upcoming holiday weekend will cause further outbreaks. thesicktimes.org/2026/09/01/n...
Graphic from The Sick Times sharing the latest COVID-19 trends for September 1, 2026. The graphic presents trends for three metrics: WastewaterSCAN category for SARS-CoV-2, which is "high" (represented with red) and slightly increasing (represented with a diagonal up arrow); CDC wastewater viral activity level for SARS-Cov-2, which is "very low*" (lighter yellow) and significantly increasing (represented with a directly up arrow); and CDC COVID-19 test positivity, which is moderate (darker yellow) and slightly increasing. Text below these metrics reads: "*CDC wastewater viral activity levels are calculated based on measurements in the last two years only. They do not account for the lower spread that could be possible with more widespread precautions."

The U.S.’s summer 2026 COVID-19 wave is in full swing. All disease tracking metrics report increased spread across the country, and the school year’s start and upcoming holiday weekend will cause further outbreaks. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved updated vaccines for this year, but they may be hard to access for many people thanks to Trump administration policies.Wastewater data from the CDC, WastewaterSCAN, and Biobot Analytics all report growing SARS-CoV-2 levels across all regions into late August. See my recent video for more detail on why the CDC's national level is still "very low" despite these increases.
Test positivity, as reported by the CDC’s PCR testing network, also continues to increase across the U.S. The South and West report the highest rates of positive COVID-19 tests. And the CDC’s infectious disease forecasting center estimates that COVID-19 cases are “growing” in the vast majority of states as of August 26.ID: Chart from the CDC's National Wastewater Surveillance System showing trends in wastewater viral activity levels (WVALs) over time for the state of Texas. The line chart's Y axis represents WVAL and includes horizontal lines dividing the chart into categories: very low, low, moderate, high, and very high. The X axis represents time, going from December 2025 to August 2026. The chart includes lines representing Texas's state-wide average (in purple), the regional average for the South (in yellow), and the national average (in black). All areas had a COVID-19 wave in winter 2025-26, and are seeing another wave now in summer 2026. Recent values for Texas are drastically higher than those for the South and the national average.

Texas has emerged as a particular hotspot right now. SARS-CoV-2 levels in wastewater in the state are “very high” according to the CDC with 40 testing sites reporting, which is a particularly concerning reading given how high of a bar the CDC’s dashboard has for this category.Last week, the FDA approved COVID-19 vaccines that have been updated to protect against recently-circulating variants. Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax have all told news outlets that they are starting to ship their updated vaccines to pharmacies, and appointments will start to be available in the coming days and weeks. However, only Americans over age 65 and those with a “preexisting condition” that increases risk of severe COVID-19 are officially eligible for the vaccines.
In many places, it’s still possible to get vaccinated for COVID-19 without being formally eligible, but people faced challenges with making appointments and getting their insurance to cover the shots under similar federal policies last year.
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The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 01/09/2026
Despite prior experience working in public health, Kelly Sealey has faced challenges getting care for Long COVID and chronic seizures. This essay is part of the Color of Long COVID series, supported by the Disability Visibility Project. thesicktimes.org/2026/08/28/w...
A collage of three images: a close up of a Black woman in a high quality mask, brain scans, and a close up of a service dog's vest. Red, violet, and sage green shapes are laid over the images. The text reads, “The Sick Times. “We’re going to stop the gaslighting right now”: How I’m fighting back as a Black woman with Long COVID. By Kelly Sealey. Commentary.”I’ve seen countless specialists for Long COVID and my seizures. While a few have helped guide my care, most have gaslit me. I’ve never in my 47 years of life or 20-plus years of working in healthcare experienced such interactions with medical professionals. I can’t help but wonder if this is tied to my race in some way, given how Black women are treated by some providers.
Kelly Sealey


“We’re going to stop the gaslighting right now”: How 
I’m fighting back as a Black woman with Long COVID

Kelly Sealey


“We’re going to stop the gaslighting right now”: How 
I’m fighting back as a Black woman with Long COVID
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Miles W. Griffis @mileswgriffis.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
"I’ve seen countless specialists for Long COVID and my seizures. While a few have helped guide my care, most have gaslit me...I feel like I have to be “pleasant” just to be taken seriously." A new essay by Kelly Sealey, the latest in our #ColorOfLongCOVID series. thesicktimes.org/2026/08/28/w...
thesicktimes.org
“We’re going to stop the gaslighting right now”: How I’m fighting back as a Black woman with Long COVID - The Sick Times
Despite prior experience working in public health, I’ve faced challenges getting care for Long COVID and chronic seizures.
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Miles W. Griffis @mileswgriffis.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
BREAKING: The Department of Defense is funding a new clinical trials program for Long COVID with an initial grant of $8 million. Called PROBE-PASC, the program will focus on mechanistic trials that will study the disease’s underlying biology in tandem with testing treatments.
A graphic features an aerial photo of the U.S. Pentagon building. Text overlaid on the photo reads, “The Sick Times: Breaking: Department of Defense announces $8 million grant for Long COVID clinical trials”.
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Heather Hogan @heatherhogan.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Want to support good people doing good work? It's as easy as signing up for @thesicktimes.org newsletter! And yes, you are correct, these doodles of our team are NOT AI. I drew them with my own silly hands. pages.viral-loops.com/share-the-si...
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Lorraine Boissoneault @lodrinkswater.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Calling all people with #LongCovid and/or #MECFS: I'm writing for @thesicktimes.org about the "October slide" -- when symptoms get worse in the fall. I want to talk to people who are aware of this but DON'T get worse in the fall! Is that you?? You can DM me here or email L.boissoneault@gmail.com
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The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 27/08/2026
👀 Observational study: found more evidence of endothelial dysfunction in Long COVID (LC) 💊 Small clinical trial: found a probiotic formula called VSL#3 helped improve fatigue in people with LC 🧬 Study: “MicroRNA” may serve as a future biomarker for LC thesicktimes.org/2026/08/25/r...
A close up photo of a human eye. The eye is hazel and the person appears to be lighter skinned. They have a dark brown eyelashes and a hazel eye. The text reads, “The Sick Times. Long COVID research updates. Another observational study found more evidence of endothelial dysfunction in Long COVID. A small clinical trial found a probiotic formula called VSL#3 helped improve fatigue in people with Long COVID. Small pieces of genetic molecules in the blood called “microRNA” may serve as a future biomarker for Long COVID.” Another observational study found more evidence of endothelial dysfunction in Long COVID. German researchers evaluated the eyes of 102 people with Long COVID, comparing them to 102 people “recovered” from COVID-19, as well as controls. The study, published in BMC Medicine, used a non-invasive technique called retinal vessel analysis (RVA) that measures blood vessels in the eyes. Researchers found people with Long COVID had abnormalities in those vessels; those abnormalities were most pronounced in the participants who also met criteria for myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). They additionally found those with the abnormalities had worse neurocognitive symptoms.
A small clinical trial found a probiotic formula called VSL#3 helped improve fatigue in people with Long COVID. Published in the British Journal of Biomedical Science, the trial included 23 participants who took two sachets of the formula per day for 28 days, or a placebo. The Italian researchers used the Chalder Fatigue Scale as a primary endpoint, finding that the formula significantly reduced fatigue compared to the placebo. They also found, using exploratory biological analysis, that the formula reduced some pro-inflammatory and immune-related cytokines; they concluded more research is needed on treatments targeting the microbiome for Long COVID with larger sample sizes.
Small pieces of genetic molecules in the blood called “microRNA” may serve as a future biomarker for Long COVID, according to a new study shared in Communications Medicine. Austrian researchers evaluated the blood of 206 people with Long COVID and compared them to 71 controls, finding abnormalities in three microRNAs in Long COVID. “These findings suggest that measuring circulating microRNAs could eventually help with diagnosis, but further validation in larger, well-matched populations is required before clinical implementation,” the authors wrote.
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The Sick Times @thesicktimes.org · 25/08/2026
To help us grow our newsletter, we’re trying out a referral program. We think this will make it easier for readers like you to share the newsletter with other community members. But we need your help to test it out!
Original artwork by Heather Hogan sharing the reward options for The Sick Times' newsletter referral campaign. Cartoon-style drawings in small boxes with white borders making them look like stamps show a thank-you note, the reward for one referral; a sticker on a water bottle, as stickers are the reward for five referrals; and a dad hat, the reward for 10 referrals. Below the stamps, there are drawings of The Sick Times' team -- Miles Griffis, Heather, and Betsy Ladyzhets, with Betsy's dog Jacko in between her and Heather. Text above those drawings note that the reward for 20 referrals is a Q&A with the team.
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