【美国电台节目】三年了，第一批新冠痊愈者怎么样了？

HORWITZ:  What we are seeing is thatthe virus can affect any part of the body. We see that in the acute infectionwhen people first have COVID, but we see it especially in this long COVID. Sopeople are describing all kinds of symptoms whether they are general, likefatigue or exhaustion, to more specific, with certain organs. People are havingconfusion or difficulty concentrating. People are having inflammation of theheart. People are having trouble breathing. People are having dizziness whenthey stand. And it's possible that all of that is related to the same sort ofunderlying problem, or it's possible that there are different kinds of causesthat are leading to different kinds of symptoms in different people. We justdon't know enough yet.

SIMON: How many patients haveyou seen who you would put into these categories?

HORWITZ: Oh, well, I seeplenty as they come through the hospital or elsewhere. I have the mostexperience because I'm helping to lead the National Institute of Health's studyof long COVID across the country. We don't know an exact number yet in partbecause we don't have an exact definition yet. But it's clearly a meaningfulproportion of people who originally get COVID who go on to still have symptomsmonths later.

SIMON: Have we gotten betterat treating it?

HORWITZ: We don't know verymuch yet about treating it. Right now, people are mostly treating the symptoms,trying to help people who have dizziness to not have dizziness, trying to helppeople who have trouble breathing with rehabilitation. We are starting to see alot of trials, however, beginning with specific treatments for the virus itselfor for the consequences. And I have confidence that we will get much better attreatment in the next couple years as we learn more about the underlying cause.

SIMON: As I certainly don'thave to tell you, COVID restrictions are - and precautions are dropping allover the country. You know, and there have been profound economic, social andeducational losses from prolonged COVID lockdowns. Now, the White House hasannounced an end to the national and public health emergencies to come in May.What's your reaction?

HORWITZ: Well, I think it isimportant that we learn how to live with a virus that's never going to go away.But I think what that means is trying to minimize our risk. That means keepingup to date with vaccinations as they come out. I think that in terms of thelong COVID, people should extend grace. I think in many places, even in manydoctor's offices, people don't recognize yet that this is a real disease. Andbecause we don't have a blood test or an official diagnosis yet, it's easysometimes for people to feel that it's all in their head or they're just beingdifficult, and that's just not the case.

SIMON: Did I hear you saythere are doctors that don't recognize long COVID?

HORWITZ: Yeah, I think thereare still some. And we have seen this for a long time with post-viralconditions of other kinds, too. So it takes a while to get knowledge into themedical community especially as we are - all of us are learning still.