Hannah Buttle

Research updates, December 16 - The Sick Times A new observational study in Cureus found that veterans diagnosed with Long COVID had a 34% higher risk of visiting the emergency department (ED) six months following infection than those without Long...

And, of course, the weekly research updates compiled by @mileswgriffis.bsky.social - this is Dec 16th's update.

thesicktimes.org/2025/12/16/r...

You know someone with Long COVID. They need you to ask about it genuinely. - The Sick Times If community-building is a bulwark against autocracy, then asking after one another might be a good place to start.

This personal essay from Phillip Hoover on the isolation of Long COVID bit.ly/4p2kiY7

Despite the ongoing pandemic, some companies are banning employees from masking - The Sick Times While some anti-mask policies have failed — a win for workers — there is a larger effort to ban masks in the U.S. on state and local levels. And more businesses may attempt to ban masks in the workpla...

This from Nadi Zimmerman on mask bans in the workplace bit.ly/3MOUQIj

🆘No other outlet is reporting on the Long COVID crisis with the compassion or veracity of @thesicktimes.org.

💰But they need your help to continue this work - please consider donating or, even better, becoming a monthly supporter. Some of my favourite work from this year includes...

Huge thanks to the people with Long COVID who spoke to me for this article, their families and partners, and to @longcovidsupport.bsky.social, @thereforme.bsky.social, and @meassociation.org.uk for their insights.

At the same time, the number of people too sick to work has risen sharply since the start of the pandemic, to 2.8m. 📈

People with LC are three times more likely to leave work than those without the disease.

Not all people with LC found the clinics helpful - most were only offered supportive therapies like CBT or occupational therapy.

But all those who spoke to me for this article were concerned about the message these closures send - that Long COVID is no longer a concern.

Left without care: Many Long COVID clinics are closing down in the U.K. - The Sick Times Fewer than half of U.K. Long COVID clinics will stay open this year, according to research from the charity Long COVID Support. At their peak, there were 120 clinics across the U.K., but only 46 have ...

Wrote about the closure of Long COVID clinics across the UK for @thesicktimes.bsky.social Many patients are being left without any specialist care.

At their peak, there were 120 clinics across the UK, but only 46 have confirmed they will remain open.📉

thesicktimes.org/2025/07/15/l...

Left without care: Many Long COVID clinics are closing down in the U.K. - The Sick Times Fewer than half of U.K. Long COVID clinics will stay open this year, according to research from the charity Long COVID Support. At their peak, there were 120 clinics across the U.K., but only 46 have ...

“They think COVID is over and it’s behind us when it’s still very much ongoing.”

@han-written.bsky.social reports on the closure of many Long COVID clinics in the U.K. that are leaving people with the disease without care or support.

thesicktimes.org/2025/07/15/l...

Left without care: Many Long COVID clinics are closing down in the U.K. - The Sick Times Fewer than half of U.K. Long COVID clinics will stay open this year, according to research from the charity Long COVID Support. At their peak, there were 120 clinics across the U.K., but only 46 have ...

Today @thesicktimes.bsky.social: @han-written.bsky.social covers the closure of many Long COVID clinics in the U.K. While people report mixed experiences with these clinics, many worry that widespread closures will make it harder to get care and support. thesicktimes.org/2025/07/15/l...

📣 Air quality is a public health issue.
There are legal standards for water and food—why not air?
This petition calls for clean air to become a legal requirement in healthcare settings in the UK
🖋️ Add your name: petition.parliament....
##SafeAir4All #VentilationMatters

Long Covid Support To learn more visit LongCovid.org

Research from @longcovidsupport.bsky.social found that fewer than 40% of clinics have confirmed they will stay open.

One in four of those with LC have never received an in-person or remote consultation, according to their survey.

www.longcovid.org/impact/news/...

📢Looking to speak with people in the UK with #LongCOVID about the future of Long COVID clinics.

🧐Was your Long COVID clinic helpful?
✖️Is your local clinic closing down?
🗒️Did you struggle to get referred?

Please DM or email hannah.buttle.journo@gmail.com

Article for @thesicktimes.bsky.social

🔧DIY medicine can lead to side effects and interactions with other medications, and the quality of the drugs cannot always be assured.

But, for many people, enduring the symptoms of #LongCovid felt riskier than taking an unprescribed medication.

With no approved treatments and little support, people with Long COVID turn to online drug markets - The Sick Times With no approved treatments, lack of support, and stigma against the disease, many people with Long COVID are using overseas pharmacies to source medications. Some of these treatments are widely used ...

People with #LongCovid have been left for years without treatment while their personal lives, finances, and well-being deteriorate.

For @thesicktimes.bsky.social , I spoke to people with Long Covid about buying unprescribed medications online.

thesicktimes.org/2024/12/12/w...

With no approved treatments and little support, people with Long COVID turn to online drug markets - The Sick Times With no approved treatments, lack of support, and stigma against the disease, many people with Long COVID are using overseas pharmacies to source medications. Some of these treatments are widely used ...

Today @thesicktimes.bsky.social In-depth reporting from @han-written.bsky.social about why some people with Long COVID are turning to online pharmacies for potential treatments. thesicktimes.org/2024/12/12/w...

‘I was in denial about it’: actor Matt McGorry on having long Covid Orange Is the New Black and How to Get Away With Murder star speaks about the disease and another way of looking at health On 28 October, Matt McGorry posted a video to Instagram. “This is definitely the most vulnerable thing I’ve ever shared, and is a…

‘I was in denial about it’: actor Matt McGorry on having long Covid