Before a federal advisory committee on Long COVID even had its first meeting, Trump ordered it shut down. Plus, the isolation of being shut down when advocating for COVID-19 preventative measures and Long COVID awareness in leftist spaces.

In this episode of Still Here: Co-host Miles Griffis shares his reporting on Trump's executive order shutting down the Department of Health and Human Services' advisory committee onLong COVID. And Sam Williams reads the start of his essay for our Color of Long COVID series about being a "Long COVID unicorn" advocating for COVID-19 and Long COVID awareness in the U.K.'s Green Party.

Also in this episode: A new preprint looking at the post-vaccine syndrome after COVID-19 vaccines and the latest COVID-19 trends.

The transcript for this podcast is⁠⁠⁠ available on The Sick Times’ website⁠⁠⁠. You can jump to specific sections of the podcast and transcript below:

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:01:25) COVID-19 trends

(00:07:35) Trump orders federal advisory committee on Long COVID shut down

(00:16:48) Being a "Long COVID unicorn"

(00:19:35) Research: Preprint on post-vaccine syndrome

(00:22:25) Outro

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Mentioned in this episode (in order of appearance):

• The Sick Times: National COVID-19 trends, February 25
• CDC wastewater dashboard
• Biobot wastewater risk reports
• WastewaterSCAN dashboard
• The Sick Times: Breaking: Vital Long COVID data taken down following Trump order
• The Sick Times: How America lost control of the bird flu, setting the stage for another pandemic
• The Sick Times: Trump commands HHS to terminate advisory committee on Long COVID
• Death Panel
• The Sick Times: The Long COVID unicorn: How I lost faith in my leftist political party
• The Sick Times: Research updates, February 25

Additional audio in this episode: 

• Rude Mechanical Orchestra: Which Side Are You On? (orig. Florence Reece) 
• Pixabay: Thunder and the beginning of rainfall

In this episode of Still Here: Invivyd chairman Marc Elia speaks with co-host Miles Griffis about his recent op-ed for The Sick Times about how bureaucracy is killing people with Long COVID and the role of monoclonal antibodies in the ongoing pandemic. And freelance health and science reporter Annika Hom speaks with co-host Betsy Ladyzhets about efforts to establish a national clinical guideline for treating Long COVID in Mexico.

Also in this episode: A phase III Long COVID clinical trial testing a combination of the HIV drug Selzentry (Maraviroc) and the statin Lipitor (Atorvastatin), and the latest COVID-19 trends. 

The transcript for this podcast is⁠⁠ available on The Sick Times’ website⁠⁠. You can jump to specific sections of the podcast and transcript below:

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:01:37) COVID-19 trends

(00:05:12) Invivyd chairman Marc Elia on monoclonal antibodies and more

(00:18:36) Long COVID clinical guideline in Mexico

(00:26:55) Research: Phase III Long COVID clinical trial with a HIV drug-statin combination

(00:28:46) Outro

You can also find our podcast on⁠⁠ Apple Podcasts⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Pocket Casts⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Amazon Music⁠⁠, ⁠⁠and iHeartRadio⁠⁠.

Mentioned in this episode (in order of appearance):

• The Sick Times: National COVID-19 trends, February 18
• CDC wastewater dashboard
• Biobot wastewater risk reports
• WastewaterSCAN dashboard
• The Sick Times: Invivyd Chairman Marc Elia: The bureaucracy is killing people with Long COVID
• The Sick Times: Frustrations, denials, long drives: Immunocompromised people can’t access a lifesaving COVID-19 drug
• The Sick Times: Without clear clinical guidelines in México, people with Long COVID face gaslighting and erasure
• The Sick Times: Research updates, February 18

Additional audio used in this episode (in order of appearance):

• Rude Mechanical Orchestra: Which Side Are You On? (orig. Florence Reece) 
• Pixabay: Thunder and the beginning of rainfall

In this episode: How can reframing pandemics as inevitable change the way we prepare for them? And looking at Long COVID resources for getting accommodations.

Writer-owned science publication Sequencer Magazine co-founder and writer Max Levy talks with co-hosts Miles Griffis and Betsy Ladyzhets, along with producer James Salanga, about ways we might be able to prepare for another pandemic as bird flu continues to spread. Plus, Betsy talks about Long COVID resources removed from a Department of Labor site, along with alternatives.

Also in this episode: an update on the sterilizing nasal vaccine and the latest COVID-19 trends. (You can read more about Sequencer Mag, which co-published Max’s story, via their website.)

The transcript for this podcast is⁠ available on The Sick Times’ website⁠. You can jump to specific sections of the podcast and transcript below:

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:01:28) COVID-19 trends

(00:08:04) Interview with Max Levy on pandemic preparedness

(00:20:50) Long COVID resources taken off U.S. government site

(00:26:45) Research: Update on nasal sterilizing COVID-19 vaccine

(00:28:41) Outro

You can also find our podcast on⁠ Apple Podcasts⁠, ⁠Pocket Casts⁠, ⁠Amazon Music⁠, ⁠and iHeartRadio⁠.

Mentioned in this episode (in order of appearance):

• The Sick Times: National COVID-19 trends, February 11
• CDC wastewater dashboard
• Biobot wastewater risk reports
• WastewaterSCAN dashboard
• Sequencer Magazine
• The Sick Times: We won’t avoid the next pandemic. But we can still prepare.
• The Sick Times: Now offline: Government resources about Long COVID as a disability
• Wayback Machine: Archived copy of AskJAN’s Long COVID resources landing page
• The Sick Times: We talked to a veteran lawyer about applying for disability insurance with Long COVID and ME
• The Sick Times: Even as a former executive assistant, managing care for Long COVID is a full-time job
• COVID-19 Longhauler Advocacy Project: Comprehensive Guide to LC
• New Disabled South
• The Sick Times: Research updates, February 11 
• The Sick Times: Research updates, August 6

Additional audio in this episode: 

• Rude Mechanical Orchestra:⁠Which Side Are You On?⁠ (orig. Florence Reece) 
• Pixabay:⁠ Thunder and the beginning of rainfall⁠

In this episode: How has the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic impacted friendships? Sociologist October Krausch looked at over 2,500 survey responses to learn more. 

They speak with co-hosts Betsy Ladyzhets and Miles Griffis, along with producer James Salanga, about their findings and what pandemic-aware friendship looks like now. Also in this episode: an update on how RECOVER has been impacted by the Trump administration, a potential Long COVID biomarker in kids, and the latest COVID-19 trends.

The transcript for this podcast isavailable on The Sick Times’ website. You can jump to specific sections of the podcast and transcript below.

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:01:18) COVID-19 trends

(00:06:12)Top story: How is the pandemic impacting friendships?

(00:22:03)Research: Potential Long COVID biomarker in kids; RECOVER-TLC under Trump update

(00:28:13) Outro

You can also find our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, and iHeartRadio.

Mentioned in this episode (in order of appearance):

• The Sick Times:National COVID-19 trends, February 4
• The Sick Times:Some U.S. COVID-19 data are down amid “pause” to federal health communications
• The Sick Times:RECOVER hasn’t been impacted by Trump freezes so far, sources say. But the program’s future is still uncertain.
• CDC wastewater dashboard
• Biobot wastewater risk reports
• WastewaterSCAN dashboard
• The Sick Times:The “pandemic of abandonment”: Navigating friendships five years into COVID-19
• COVID Meetups
• COVID Action Map
• The Sick Times:Research updates, February 4 
• Still Here (1/25/25):Potential blood-based Long COVID biomarker; reflections from a Palestinian with Long COVID
• The Sick Times:Finding an accepted Long COVID biomarker will be complicated. This blood test could give us answers.
• Still Here (11/22/24):Where are kids’ Long COVID clinical trials?
  

Additional audio in this episode: 

• 
  
• Rude Mechanical Orchestra:Which Side Are You On? (orig. Florence Reece) 
• Pixabay:Thunder and the beginning of rainfall
  

Access to COVID-19 data during the federal health communications pause. And a breakdown about why the Affordable Care Act might be at risk, from a freelancer with Long COVID. 

In this episode of Still Here: Co-host Betsy Ladyzhets speaks with co-host Miles Griffis and producer James Salanga about her reporting on the U.S. COVID-19 data landscape. And freelancer Bobbi Dempsey shares why the ACA is so important, along with how to prepare for its potential targeting under the Trump administration.

Also in this episode: another RECOVER survey with over 12,000 participants, a promising peptide development, and the latest COVID-19 trends. 

(Of note: Since the episode’s recording, the Household Pulse Survey — a key source of vital Long COVID data — was taken down following a Trump order on Jan. 31 about removing any references to “gender ideology” on the CDC website. You can read Betsy's reporting on The Sick Times' site.)

The transcript for this episode ⁠⁠is available on The Sick Times' website⁠⁠. You can jump to specific sections of the episode and transcript below:

Mentioned in this episode (in order of appearance):

• The Sick Times: National COVID-19 trends, January 28
• CDC wastewater dashboard
• Biobot wastewater risk reports
• WastewaterSCAN dashboard
• The Sick Times: Wastewater surveillance for COVID-19 keeps evolving. Here's what you need to know.
• The Sick Times: Some U.S. COVID-19 data are down amid “pause” to federal health communications
• The Sick Times: RECOVER hasn’t been impacted by Trump freezes so far, sources say. But the program’s future is still uncertain. 
• The Sick Times: As someone with Long COVID, I’m terrified of what could happen to the Affordable Care Act
• USA.gov: Find your elected officials
• Healthcare.gov
• Healthcare.gov: Find local help
• The Sick Times: Research updates, January 28

Additional audio in this episode: 

• Rude Mechanical Orchestra: ⁠Which Side Are You On?⁠ (orig. Florence Reece) 
• Pixabay: ⁠Thunder and the beginning of rainfall⁠
  

A blood-based biomarker for Long COVID could be on the horizon. And living with Long COVID as a Palestinian in the United States.

In this episode of Still Here: Co-host Miles Griffis speaks with co-host Betsy Ladyzhets and producer James Salanga about their newest reporting on Long COVID biomarkers. Long COVID Justice’s BIPOC Communicators Fellow Jenna Laila Bitar reads a portion of their essay about seeing the U.S. funnel money toward genocide instead of supporting people with Long COVID. 

Also in this episode: funding for a preventative COVID-19 drug for immunocompromised people, a new preprint estimating the prevalence of Long COVID across continents, and the latest COVID-19 trends. 

The transcript for this episode ⁠is available on The Sick Times' website⁠. You can jump to specific sections of the episode and transcript below:

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:01:55) COVID-19 trends

(00:07:15) A potential blood-based Long COVID biomarker

(00:20:21) Being Palestinian with Long COVID in the U.S.

(00:24:32) Research: Funding for a new COVID-19 drug for immunocompromised people; MedrXiV preprint about Long COVID prevalence

(00:28:30) Outro

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Mentioned in this episode (in order of appearance):

• The Sick Times: National COVID-19 trends, January 21
• CDC wastewater dashboard
• Biobot wastewater risk reports
• WastewaterSCAN dashboard

• Science: Why the ‘Ferrari of viruses’ is surging through the Northern Hemisphere
• The Sick Times: Wastewater surveillance for COVID-19 keeps evolving. Here's what you need to know.
• The Sick Times: Finding an accepted Long COVID biomarker will be complicated. This blood test could give us answers. 
• NIH RECOVER: Routine lab tests are not a reliable way to diagnose Long COVID 
• Still Here: Overseas pharmacies for Long COVID symptom support (research section has BioQuest info)
• The Sick Times: Instead of supporting people with Long COVID, our government funds a genocide
• The Sick Times: Research updates, January 21 

Additional audio in this episode: 

• Rude Mechanical Orchestra: Which Side Are You On? (orig. Florence Reece) 
• Pixabay: Thunder and the beginning of rainfall
  

In this episode: Los Angeles-area COVID-19 mutual aid groups jumped to action to minimize the impact of wildfire smoke (and COVID!) as wildfires worsen air quality. Mask Bloc LA distributed over 43,000 masks in the first week of the wildfires.

Freelance reporter and Long COVID patient advocate Sam Rhodehamel talks with producer James Salanga and co-hosts Miles Griffis and Betsy Ladyzhets about the groups filling public health gaps to keep residents protected during the devastating wildfires.

Also in this episode: another NIH RECOVER-Treating Long COVID update, more proof portable air filters help mitigate airborne disease, and the latest COVID-19 trends. 

The transcript for this episode is available on The Sick Times' website. You can jump to specific sections of the episode and transcript below:

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:01:21) COVID-19 trends

(00:06:55) L.A. COVID-19 mutual aid groups fill public health gaps during wildfires

(00:18:22) Research: Portable air filters' effectiveness reaffirmed, NIH RECOVER-TLC update

(00:23:55) Outro

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Mentioned in this episode (in order of appearance):

• The Sick Times: National COVID-19 trends, January 14
• CDC wastewater dashboard
• Biobot wastewater risk reports
• WastewaterSCAN dashboard
• The Sick Times: Wastewater surveillance for COVID-19 keeps evolving. Here's what you need to know.
• The Sick Times: COVID-19 advocates are distributing masks to protect Californians from wildfire smoke
• Support Mask Bloc LA
• Help Clean Air LA bring purifiers to LA residents 
• The Sick Times: Research updates, January 14 
• Still Here: Recapping the NIH RECOVER-TLC Kickoff
• The Sick Times: “A good step”: Long COVID advocates and researchers respond to the RECOVER-Treating Long COVID meeting
• NIH: Submit therapeutics and biologics
• NIH: Submit interest to join a working group

• NIH: Submit biomarkers for Long COVID

• NIH: Provide general feedback on the initiative 
• NIH: Recover-Treating Long COVID website

Additional audio in this episode: 

In this episode: A new guide to navigating COVID boundaries, changing relationships due to Long COVID, and the ongoing organizing work around COVID and disability justice. Also, an end-of-the-year fundraiser update.

Investigative journalist Violet Blue speaks with podcast producer James Salanga about The COVID Safety Handboook. Also, co-hosts Miles Griffis and Betsy Ladyzhets recap the latest COVID-19 numbers, a norovirus and bird flu update, and a UC San Francisco case series looking at longer cases of Paxlovid.

The transcript for this episode is available on The Sick Times’ website. You can jump to specific sections of the podcast and transcript below.

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:01:20) COVID-19 forecast

(00:08:36) The COVID Safety Handbook

(00:20:12) End-of-year fundraiser update

(00:23:36) Research: UCSF Paxlovid case series

(00:25:35) Outro

Still Here is an abridged version of The Sick Times’ newsletter, which publishes weekly on Tuesdays.

You can also find our Long COVID news and commentary podcast on Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, and iHeartRadio.

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Mentioned in this episode (in order of appearance):

• The Sick Times: National COVID-19 trends, January 7
• CDC wastewater dashboard
• Biobot wastewater risk reports
• WastewaterSCAN dashboard
• Gothamist: Norovirus, a gross stomach bug, appears to be hitting NYC. Good luck finding out where.
• Instagram: PPE for California
• The Sick Times: How America lost control of the bird flu, setting the stage for another pandemic
• The Sick Times: “Stand Together,” an excerpt from The Covid Safety Handbook
• COVID Safety Handbook 
• The Sick Times: End-of-year fundraiser results: Thank you for supporting The Sick Times!
• The Sick Times: Research updates, January 7 
• Stanford Medicine: Stanford Medicine trial: 15-day Paxlovid regimen safe but adds no clear long-COVID benefit 

Additional audio in this episode: 

In this episode (the last of 2024!): With little support and no approved treatments, online drug markets are one way that people with Long COVID are seeking to improve their quality of life.

This week, co-hosts Betsy Ladyzhets and Miles Griffis talk with producer James Salanga to recap reporting from freelancer Hannah Buttle about this phenomenon and the current state of potential Long COVID treatments. Also in this episode: the latest COVID-19 numbers, an update on H5N1, and more funding for Long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) research. 

The transcript for this podcast is ⁠available on The Sick Times' website⁠. You can jump to specific sections of the podcast and transcript below.

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:02:33) COVID-19 trends

(00:05:18) Top story — Overseas pharmacies for Long COVID symptom support

(00:18:20) Research — More funding for NIH RECOVER-TLC and ME biomarker research

(00:22:44) Outro

Donate to our end-of-year fundraiser⁠⁠ and have your donation matched up to $1,000 — both one-time and monthly donations will be matched!

Still Here is an abridged version of The Sick Times’ newsletter, which publishes weekly. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

You can also find our podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pocket Casts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon Music⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠iHeartRadio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Mentioned in this episode (in order of appearance):

• Still Here: Recapping the RECOVER-TLC kickoff; Low-dose naltrexone in clinical trials; Long COVID research under Trump

• The Sick Times: National COVID-19 trends, December 17
• CDC wastewater dashboard
• Biobot wastewater risk reports
• WastewaterSCAN dashboard
• The Sick Times: Wastewater surveillance for Covid-19 keeps evolving. Here’s what you need to know.
• U.S. free COVID tests: COVID-19 Testing  
• The Sick Times: With no approved treatments and little support, people with Long COVID turn to online drug markets
• Chemical & Engineering News: R&D for long COVID is collapsing 
• World Health Organization: Substandard and falsified medical products
• University of Liverpool: Liverpool COVID-19 Drug Interactions  
• The Sick Times and Long COVID Justice: Long COVID Essentials series
• Long COVID Studies
• The Sick Times: Want to enroll in a Long Covid clinical trial? This new project helps track them.
• The Sick Times: Research updates, December 17
• The Sick Times: NIH announces $147 million in additional Long COVID research funding, new budget details 

Additional audio in this episode: 

• Rude Mechanical Orchestra: Which Side Are You On? (orig. Florence Reece) 
• Pixabay: Thunder and the beginning of rainfall

In this episode: What does it sound like to be alienated as an Jewish anti-Zionist living with ME/CFS during a mass-disabling pandemic? For Dan Fishback, it's rock music.

The Sick Times' engagement editor Heather Hogan interviewed Dan about his production, which shows Saturday and Sunday at Joe's Pub at the Public Theater in New York City. Also in this episode: the latest COVID-19 numbers, and updates on two clinical trials.

The transcript for this podcast is ⁠available on The Sick Times’ website⁠. You can jump to specific sections of the podcast and transcript below.

(00:00:00) ⁠Intro⁠

(00:01:42) ⁠COVID-19 trends⁠

(00:05:18) ⁠Top story: A rock music production about living with ME/CFS — Dan Fishback is Alive, Unwell, and Living in his Apartment

(00:22:53) ⁠Research: Evusheld 2.0 clinical trial, CoRE clinical trial testing HIV drugs⁠

(00:27:26) ⁠Outro⁠

Donate to our ⁠end-of-year fundraiser⁠ and have your donation matched up to $1,000 — both one-time and monthly donations will be matched! 



Still Here is an abridged version of ⁠The Sick Times’ newsletter⁠, which publishes weekly on Tuesdays.

You can also find our podcast on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠,⁠ Pocket Casts⁠,⁠ Amazon Music⁠,⁠ and iHeartRadio⁠.

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This episode contains a promo swap with the podcast ⁠Public Health is Dead⁠.

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Mentioned in this episode (in order of appearance):

• The Sick Times: National COVID-19 trends, December 10
• CDC wastewater dashboard
• Biobot wastewater risk reports
• WastewaterSCAN dashboard
• U.S. free COVID tests: COVID-19 Testing  
• Dan Fishback is Alive, Unwell, and Living in His Apartment
• Dark Disabled Stories
• Split Britches
• The Sick Times: Research updates, December 10
• The Sick Times: Still Here, October 18: Links and transcript

Additional audio in this episode: