As many of us return to work and the world feels like it’s returning to normal, it can be easy to forget that the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t completely behind us. Cases are surging in parts of the country, and for a growing number of people, their initial case of COVID was just the beginning of an ongoing ordeal known as long COVID, post-COVID, or long-haul COVID.
This terrible affliction has stricken one of the Gotham family and we are rallying around Jason. Jason is Fara Smith’s twin brother and his friends call him “J”. Fara is a Gotham global account executive and a member of the Gotham family for over 20 years. Jason is a doctor of psychology who teaches at NYC area colleges. Loved by his students and on a first name basis with every barista on the Upper West Side, Jason is an extraordinary individual who now fights this disease on a daily basis.
What can you do?
- Get educated. Long Haul COVID is real. Please read the CDC and Mayo Clinic information below.
- Share your stories and support with the hashtags #DO4J, #GOTHAM4J and #LONGCOVID.
- Most importantly, DO SOMETHING 4J. Jason, like many long haul sufferers, cannot “simply” do many of the things he enjoys. So, do something you enjoy 4J. Take a picture with your favorite barista or walking through a park or with a group friends or really enjoying anything and tag it with #DO4J #Gotham4J and #LONGCOVID to show people with long haul that we are behind them and that someday soon they will be enjoying life too.
Gotham will be planning in person events in support of this. Please watch for invitations. We also encourage our partners, customers and friends to get together and DO SOMETHING 4J.
Additional Information
Long Haul COVID symptoms can include fluctuating heart rate, fatigue, shortness of breath, fever, joint and muscle pain, chest pains, and difficulty concentrating - sometimes referred to as “brain fog.” This is a short list and a simplified explanation of the condition. For more up-to-date and detailed information, you can visit the CDC Post-COVID Conditions page, or the Mayo clinic page on COVID-19: Long Term Effects.
Long COVID affects people with mild to severe cases of COVID, and even people who had no initial symptoms. While the medical community is working hard to understand the long-term effects of this condition, there is still much to learn. No one can predict yet who will develop long COVID, its severity, or its duration.
Anyone looking for information on long COVID care, or ways to take action can visit the Survivor Corps website. Survivor Corps is the “largest grassroots movement in America dedicated to connecting, supporting, educating and motivating those affected by COVID-19 (and their colleagues, families and friends).” Anyone looking to make a contribution can do so on the Survivor Corps site.
According to the CDC, the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID and long haul COVID is to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Vaccines are readily available in most of the United States. For information on where to get vaccinated, visit www.vaccines.gov.