Reimer calls findings from COVID fog study 'alarming'
The medical lead of Manitoba’s Vaccine Implementation Task Force said a new study on COVID fog out of New York’s Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is “alarming.”
According to Dr. Joss Reimer, the study looked at the 185 million documented COVID-19 cases worldwide and found neurological symptoms – including persistent cognitive impairment -- in one in four people.
“That’s a really alarming finding,” she said at a news conference on Wednesday.
Reimer noted the symptoms were more common in severe cases that required hospitalization; however, even people with mild symptoms experienced higher rates of lasting cognitive dysfunction.
“When I say cognitive dysfunction I mean that a person has persistent concentration difficulties, has problems with verbal or non-verbal learning, has short-term or working memory loss, and many other symptoms related to the brain – all of which can significantly affect their daily life at home, at school and at work,” Reimer said.
Reimer added that long-COVID cognitive syndrome, referred to as COVID fog, also includes increased rates of anxiety, depression, disordered sleep and fatigue.
Reimer explained some other recent scientific findings found a link between having severe COVID-19 that required hospitalization and having a neuro-inflammatory response.
“That means swelling of brain tissues, and this might explain how COVID fog happens,” she said.
Reimer noted that people can do their part to prevent the symptoms associated with long COVID by protecting themselves to the fullest extent possible.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.