Summary:
The CDC’s latest data discloses 5,000+ Long Covid deaths since 2020, yet experts suspect a substantial undercount. Emphasizing the urgency for improved reporting and education, preliminary figures hint at a rise in Long Covid deaths in 2023. Despite flaws, the data underscores the severe impact of Long Covid.
Main Points:
- New CDC data reveals over 5,000 Long Covid deaths since 2020.
- Experts believe the tally is a significant undercount.
- Researchers highlight the need for enhanced reporting standards and education on death certificates.
- Preliminary figures suggest an increase in Long Covid deaths in 2023.
- Despite flaws, the data serves as a crucial acknowledgment of Long Covid’s lethal potential.
Article:
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) unveiled fresh insights into Long Covid-related deaths, revealing that over 5,000 Americans have succumbed to this condition since 2020. This release coincided with the recent passing of former Labour Party lobbyist Derek Draper due to complications linked to Long Covid.
Experts believe that the CDC’s reported numbers likely underestimate the actual Long Covid-related death toll. This underscores the importance of enhancing reporting standards and providing education to individuals responsible for completing death certificates.
To identify Long Covid fatalities, researchers at the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) examined death certificates referencing terms such as “Long Covid,” “postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection” (PASC), or related phrases like “post COVID” and “chronic COVID.” The NCHS first disclosed these deaths in December 2022 and recently updated the count, as reported by Medscape.
While the comprehensive data from the January 2024 update is pending publication, preliminary figures shared with Medscape indicate an increase in identified Long Covid deaths in 2023 compared to previous years. In 2023, the CDC researchers recorded 1,491 deaths, surpassing the 3,544 deaths reported between January and June 2022. Similar trends were observed in the agency’s prior reports for 2022, 2020, and 2021. This surge may be attributed to worsening symptoms over time for some Long Covid patients and a growing awareness of the disease among healthcare professionals.
Recognizing Long Covid is crucial for accurate death data, as highlighted in MuckRock’s reporting on the NCHS’s initial tally in 2022. The person completing the death certificate may be a knowledgeable physician familiar with Long Covid or a locally-elected coroner unaware of the condition. This variability in medical education contributes to undercounting Covid-19 deaths, according to MuckRock’s findings.
The potential for undercounting is amplified for Long Covid, which remains poorly understood in the medical community. The 2022 death tally primarily included older adults with comprehensive medical records, potentially overlooking symptoms in younger adults with mild initial Covid-19 cases.
Those with marginalized identities, lower incomes, and people of color may also be less likely to have documented Long Covid symptoms, leading to inaccuracies in death certificates. Deaths by suicide, a higher risk for individuals with Long Covid, are often omitted from counts based on death certificates.
To enhance data accuracy, the CDC issued guidance in February 2023 on how to report Long Covid on death certificates. This guidance urges those completing certificates to consider Long Covid as a cause of death, even if the initial infection occurred months or years earlier. The dissemination and impact of this guidance remain unclear, an area we aim to explore further at The Sick Times.
Despite flaws in the CDC’s data, the updated count from last week serves as a significant acknowledgment that Long Covid can result in death. Dr. Zeke Emanuel, former Biden Covid-19 advisor, emphasized the need for more data like these to raise awareness and support those currently suffering and in the future, sharing the Medscape article on Twitter.
Recent CDC data discloses 5,000+ Long Covid deaths, yet experts caution of a likely undercount. The findings emphasize the urgent need for improved reporting accuracy and awareness..
Long Covid The Answers
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