Discovery offers a new ray of hope for Long COVID treatment

October 25, 2023

Researchers published an intriguing article in the scientific journal Cell earlier this week demonstrating that those who had Long COVID had low levels of the hormone serotonin in their blood which impairs neurologic activity. This could be due to residual coronavirus in the gut in some cases and could also be due to interferon-driven inflammation even when there is no viable virus remaining in the body. Long COVID is also known as PACS, post-acute COVID sequelae.

The neurocognitive deficits of Long COVID can lead to full or partial disability, and those who are disabled have difficulty obtaining ongoing disability payments as the disability is considered “subjective” since there is no definitive test.

If further research confirms these findings, we might be closer to an objective test for Long COVID, and closer to developing a treatment that can restore function for those with the disease. Some with Long COVID have felt that the medical community and the human resources community have not taken their concerns as seriously because they thought symptoms were “psychosomatic.” This research convincingly demonstrates that Long COVID is a biologic disease.

This research makes it more likely that there will be future objective tests for Long COVID. However, researchers warn that there is no blood or other test available now, and patients should not get tests for serotonin levels at this point because there are not established normal levels. Patients with a normal serum serotonin level could still have Long COVID.

Implications for employers:

• The best way to avoid Long COVID continues to be to avoid getting infected or reinfected, so employers can continue to promote vaccination.

• Long COVID can be a disability under the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) if it substantially limits one or more life activities. If so, employers must make reasonable accommodations to allow them to continue to perform their essential functions. Some employees could be eligible for unpaid leave as an accommodation under ADA. The ADA requires that employers review each employee’s circumstances individually.

Employers can train supervisors to recognize symptoms of Long COVID and to treat those who are suffering with empathy

Tomorrow: Many at risk for HIV having trouble getting preventive medications

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