Invisible Disabilities: Long COVID and other Post-Infectious Chronic Illnesses [Captions]

Imagine getting sick with a common cold or flu, or even an insect bite, and then never getting better. We present a diverse panel of people with post-infectious chronic illnesses, including Long COVID and Post-Lyme Disease, joined by a person with ME/CFS. Their personal stories are followed by a presentation from Alfred DeMaria, M.D., the former Medical Director of the Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences, at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. In his presentation, Dr. DeMaria addresses the similarities between Long COVID, Post-Lyme Disease, and ME/CFS.

This program was originally presented on September 15th, 2021, by the Health and Disability Partnership at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, with the Massachusetts ME/CFS & FM Association.

Hosted by Rodrigo Monterrey, MPA.
Q&A moderated by Nassira Nicola and Anna Phylaxis.

// CONTACT

Contact the Health and Disability Partnership:

Contact the Massachusetts ME/CFS & FM Association:

// RESOURCES

Resources about Long COVID:

Resources about ME/CFS:

Resources about Lyme Disease:

// CREDITS

Video, slides, and captions by Design Spectrum.

Music:
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

// TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Intro
00:20 Welcome and info (Anna Phylaxis)
02:20 Moderator introduction (Rodrigo Monterrey)
04:59 Panelist: Kayla Scheiner, on Lyme Disease
11:17 Panelist: Claudia Maria Carrera, on ME/CFS
19:11 Panelist: Cynthia Adinig, on Long COVID
26:36 Panelist: Alfred DeMaria, M.D.
37:21 Intro to Panel Q&A
37:59 Q&A: Post-viral POTS (Claudia Carrera)
39:58 Q&A: Post-viral POTS (Anna Phylaxis)
40:28 Q&A: Tracking of ME/CFS (Alfred DeMaria, M.D.)
42:35 Q&A: Tracking of ME/CFS (Nassira Nicola)
45:13 Q&A: Barriers to SSDI (Kayla Scheiner)
49:14 Q&A: What can advocates do? (Alfred DeMaria, M.D.)
51:34 Q&A: What can advocates do? (Nassira Nicola)
53:25 Q&A: What can advocates do? (Cynthia Adinig)
54:54 Q&A: What can advocates do? (Nassira Nicola)
56:48 Q&A: Workplace accommodations (Anna Phylaxis)
57:42 Q&A: Workplace accommodations (Claudia Carrera)
58:22 Q&A: Workplace accommodations (Nassira Nicola)
59:21 Resources
59:33 Gratitude
1:00:12 Outro