This archive report was first published on 26 October 2021.
Long Covid and the Blind Spots of American Medicine ¶
Published on October 26, 2021
Millions of Americans suffer from chronic illnesses set off by the body's response to infections, often going undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Long Covid is a poorly understood disease that reveals the structural problems of a late-capitalist society that values productivity more than health.
According to a major study of almost two million Covid patients in the United States, nearly a quarter sought medical treatment for new conditions one month or more after their initial infection. This phenomenon, known as long Covid, has left scientists scrambling to understand its causes and develop effective treatments.
Journalist and poet Meghan O'Rourke has spent more than a decade struggling with chronic illness, a journey she documents in her forthcoming book, The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness. O'Rourke's experience illuminates the blind spots in our scientific and medical paradigms, the shortcomings of our individualistic ethos, and the way economic inequalities show up in our bodies.
On this episode of The Ezra Klein Show, O'Rourke joins guest-host Ross Douthat to discuss the complexities of long Covid and the broader implications for American society. Douthat, a New York Times columnist, has written extensively on politics, conservatism, and chronic illness.
Listen to the full conversation on Apple, Spotify, Google, or wherever you get your podcasts.
