On January 19th, 2023, we launched our first-ever Long COVID Clinic to provide comprehensive care to individuals who have been affected by the long-term effects of COVID-19.

The Long COVID Clinic is led by Dr. Sarah Ali, Director of Infectious Diseases, with additional support from our Behavioral Health and Nutrition Departments.

Depending on the initial assessment and specific needs, the care team might also coordinate access to additional specialties.

What is Long COVID?

While many people do recover from COVID-19, others report long-lasting symptoms or new
symptoms that develop after recovery from the original infection. When the symptoms last for
several weeks after the original infection, this is called Long COVID. There’s still a lot that we
don’t know about Long COVID, including how many people are affected by this, but recent studies
show that this syndrome can occur in about 1 out of every 5 people who’ve had COVID-19.

What are the symptoms of long COVID?

There are many potential symptoms of long COVID, but they are usually similar to the symptoms
of the original COVID-19 infection. Common symptoms may include fatigue, lack of concentration,
sleep and mood disorders, muscle and joint pain, coughing, shortness of breath, or loss of taste
or smell.

Who will see the participants with Long COVID?

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the team at Mary’s Center has been caring for
patients with this condition. Now, we’ve brought together leads from different departments and
specialties, to work closely with patients to develop individualized treatment plans targeted to improve symptoms of Long COVID.

Who can use the clinic?

The clinic is open to current participants being seen at Mary’s Center. They can be seen via
a referral from their PCP to the Long COVID clinic. Once we build up our panel and have a strong
workflow going with the clinic, our goal is to open it up to referrals from providers outside of Mary’s Center.