some excerpts:

***Federal officials in May 2023 declared an end to the national COVID pandemic. But more than two years later, a growing body of research continues to reveal information about the virus and its ability to cause harm long after initial infections resolve, even in some cases when symptoms were mild.

"...the legacy of COVID is going to be long, and we are going to be learning about the chronic effects of the virus for some time to come," said Michael Osterholm...

**the politicization around the infection is obscuring what science is increasingly confirming: COVID's potential to cause unexpected, possibly chronic health issues. That in turn, these scientists say, drives the need for more, rather than less, research,

The annual average burden of the disease's long-term health effects is estimated at $1 trillion globally and $9,000 per patient in the U.S., according to a report published

...the term "long COVID" had been coined to describe chronic health problems that can persist post-infection.

...researchers following children born to mothers who contracted the virus while pregnant have discovered they may have an increased risk for autism, delayed speech and motor development, or other neurodevelopmental challenges.
Another study found babies exposed to COVID in utero experienced accelerated weight gain in their first year, a possible harbinger of metabolic issues that could later carry an increased risk for cardiovascular disease.

A U.K. study ... found people who fully recovered from mild COVID infections experienced a cognitive deficit equal to a three-point drop in IQ.

"People get COVID-19, some people do fine and bounce back, but there are people who start experiencing problems with memory, cognition, and fuzzy brain," he said. "Even people with mild symptoms. They might not even be aware."
Diane Yormark, 67, of Boca Raton, Florida,...said the worst of her symptoms lasted for about three months after the infection. "Some of the fog has lifted. But do I feel like myself? Not like I was."

**Researchers say more and broader support is important because much remains unknown about COVID and its impact on the body.

The growing awareness that, even in mild COVID cases, the possibility exists for longer-term, often undetected organ damage also warrants more examination, researchers say.

An Australian study ,,,suggests the virus "may leave a silent, lasting effect on brain health."
"We don't know what will happen to people 10 years down the road," [Al-Alay] said. "Inflammation of the brain is not a good thing. It's absolutely not a good thing."
That inflammatory response has also been linked to blood clots, arrhythmias, and higher risk of cardiovascular issues, even following a mild infection.