1 in 5 educators suffer from this condition

More than 60% of Americans have been infected with COVID-19, according to a new survey. And while COVID has long been something nobody wants, it has impacted educators more than most other groups.

Education Week reports that 1 in 5 educators have been infected, including principals, teachers and district leaders. It is estimated that educators in the US make up about 6 million people, suggesting thousands of them have long been affected by COVID-19.

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Statistics on long-lasting COVID-19 are bleak, with experts estimating that 20% to 50% of people who have experienced COVID-19 are now dealing with a long-term impact. These include fatigue, memory problems, brain fog, loss of taste or smell, heart and lung disease, and more.

EW surveyed a variety of educators about their symptoms, which ranged from mild to severe. “On Mondays I’m ready to go, I feel great, and on Wednesday I’m definitely exhausted,” said Kathleen Law, a 42-year-old elementary school teacher who contracted COVID-19 after being fully vaccinated. Although she believes she will make a full recovery, she has been experiencing these symptoms for months.

Discussing the condition itself, the educators expressed that they felt lonely and depressed, especially since COVID-19 has long been such a mysterious disease, one that many people and even doctors have a hard time believing. Ruthanne Grajeda, who teaches children in Wyoming, was interned in intensive care after experiencing COVID-19 in September. Months later, she still has trouble breathing and has to carry an oxygen tank when she leaves her home. “You think you should be ready and back, and you’re not,” she said of people’s expectations.

Buzzfeed News reports that many doctors distrust their patients and don’t believe their COVID-19 symptoms due to a lack of clear understanding of how the disease works and progresses. “I understand that doctors have been busy and exhausted dealing with the pandemic for over two years,” said Lauren Scungio. “But many of the doctors I’ve seen don’t seem to be keeping up with the latest lengthy COVID research.”

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Despite the mystery surrounding the new disease, there are researchers out there looking for ways to understand it. A new study found that people who develop COVID-19 for a long time are likely to have lower levels of certain antibodies in their blood. They hope to use the data to develop a test that will prevent future long-term COVID-19 cases and inform those at higher risk of developing it.