BREAKING: Senator Bernie Sanders drafts proposal for Long Covid Moonshot.
The proposal earmarks $10B in Long Covid research funding over the next decade.
In case you didn’t know, SARS-COV-2 can persist in your brain for *years*
Here’s the
@NIHDirector
discussing viral persistence and its potential role in
#LongCovid
"We need more money to do the kind of research that is necessary to come up with a treatment."
@SenSanders
speaking on
#LongCovid
and his recent moonshot proposal.
5.8 MILLION American children are suffering
#LongCovid
as their childhoods pass them by. We need sustained and robust research funding now, for our future – and theirs.
@LongCovidKids
@LongCovidFam
So proud to bring
#LongCovid
to the front page of print media – spreading the message to so many unreached people. Thank you,
@USATODAY
, for being on the forefront of this crucially urgent issue affecting millions.
We are grateful for
@SenSanders
leadership on
#LongCovid
. We enthusiastically support his Moonshot proposal, which we believe will greatly benefit the millions suffering with this condition.
We just sent his team our feedback, and wanted to share our thoughts with you all.
🧵
NEW CAMPAIGN ALERT 🚀
We are calling Congress to ensure
#LongCovid
research funding is included in the FY25 budget.
Senators Markey, Kaine, and Duckworth have cosponsored a letter calling for $1B+ in funding. It needs more signatures by May 7th!
Guide:
California is getting some new
#LongCovid
billboards next week ✨
Let's keep up the political pressure to fund Long COVID research and get us all the treatment we need!
"There are zero. ZERO approved medications for the treatment of Long COVID." -
@zalaly
THIS is why we must keep fighting to fund a
#LongCovidMoonshot
.
It's 9:00am in Washington DC, and it's a beautiful day for Senators to receive calls from
#LongCovid
patients and allies asking for FY25 Appropriations! Let's light up their phones!⭐️
Good Morning America is producing an in-studio segment with Matthew McConaughey about the Greenlights Grants Initiative. This initiative helps school districts nationwide access billions of dollars of available federal funding to create safer school environments and ensure the
Thank you to the senators of the HELP committee and all the advocates who helped make this
#LongCovid
hearing a success. The hearing made one thing clear: the urgent need for a moonshot initiative to fund research.
Read our full press release here:
Now that it’s introduced in both House and Senate, we’ll be working to get more cosponsors - including friends across the aisle! Wise members of the GOP needed! 🚀
“Long Covid is a silent health crisis impacting over twenty-three million Americans, including one million children,” Rep. Omar said to
@MotherJones
. “I’m proud to lead this effort in the House to recognize Long Covid as the public health emergency that it is.”
Four years of
#LongCovid
and not a single proven treatment. The lack of urgency in facing this crisis is appalling.
Join us in calling Congress March 14th and demand annual research funding in the BILLIONS.
700,000 Americans are currently out of work due to
#LongCovid
. And they are undercounted, because many don't qualify for UI payments – the way to be "officially" counted as Unemployed in America. These systems are broken.
In honor of Long Covid Awareness Day on March 15th, our website now features the diverse voices of our
#LongCovid
community.
Thank you for detailing your journeys & underscoring the urgent need for more research funding ❤️🩹
Share your story:
"We must do everything we can to find potential treatments & cures for
#LongCovid
. In my view, there has been a lack of urgency in Congress, the federal government, and the medical establishment. to research and develop new treatments that might cure or lessen the impact..."
We cannot ignore the public health crisis that is Long COVID. On Long COVID Awareness Day, let us commit to doing everything we can to address this horrible condition. The U.S. government must do more to increase awareness and provide additional resources to develop treatments.
"There are no viable treatments or cures for this condition. I have seen 24 doctors from 5 different hospitals across two states. I have been to 8 emergency rooms, 3x by EMS. I have had hundreds of blood, imaging, and diagnostic tests. All at a personal cost of over $13,000..."
"they don't see the hours I am bed-bound each day nor the constant confusion and pain inside my head."
@MattyMaxwell
on his battle with Long Covid ❤️🩹
This had us doing a double take: Only 7% of surveyed physicians were confident diagnosing
#LongCovid
, and a minuscule 4% felt confident treating it. We're gambling with our lives.... Would you put money on those odds? 🎲🎲
“Fortunately, times are changing. No senator,
#Democrat
or
#Republican
, at the recent hearing questioned the medical reality of
#longCOVID
, perhaps because at least three senators, including …
@SenTimKaine
(D-Va.), have themselves suffered from it.”
"Having Long Covid is like being trapped alone for years (maybe forever) in a torturous maze and no matter how hard you try, you cannot escape." - Larissa
#LongCovidAwarenessDay
Give Congress a
#LongCovid
wake-up call!
On Thursday, March 14, we're calling our reps to demand a
#LongCovidMoonshot
—$1B+ in annual research funding to find treatment for the MILLIONS suffering without help.
Full call guide available our website 🚀
We have had nearly 100 (🤯) people submit their
#LongCovid
stories & we are working as quickly as we can to create personalized graphics ❤️
Haven't shared yours yet? There's still time to submit it on our website.
Thank you,
@SenMarkey
, for seeing and hearing us. Your words mean a great deal to Americans with
#LongCovid
who feel left behind. We look forward to Congress taking action! 🚀
Long COVID is real, it is disabling, and it is affecting millions. That's why we must fund long COVID and ME/CFS research to better understand and treat these conditions. To all those struggling and suffering—we see you, we hear you, and we will take action for you.
Severity of the initial infection is not related to whether you end up with
#LongCovid
. Anyone, of any age, class, or gender, can experience persistent, ongoing, or new-onset conditions.
"It is unacceptable to force people to fight their
#chronicillness
in a health system that doesn't recognize their illness.
We need to fund research on conditions triggered by viral infections that will drive us towards diagnosis, treatments and cures."
-
@SenMarkey
DEADLINE EXTENDED 😱
We’ve just gotten word that Senators now have until FRIDAY, MAY 10TH to sign the FY25
#LongCovid
funding letter!
This means you still have time to contact your legislators and urge them to sign onto this crucial funding proposal.
Call guide on our site.
ONE MORE TIME! 📲 Remember the calls we made in May asking for Long Covid Research to be included in the 2025 budget? Well, Thursday is when those folks decide how to actually apportion the money.
So, despite the last-minute scramble, we want to activate!
📢
#LongCOVID
Community Alert 📢 Senate Approps Committee just announced FY25 Labor HHS Approps bill markup only 3 days from now: Thursday, August 1. This is where we find out what Long COVID funding levels & language are in bill & ask champions to offer amendments as needed 1/x
If you are a
#LongCovid
or
#CovidAware
parent or educator who can appear in NYC on Tuesday 9/10 and speak to the urgency of CLEAN AIR in schools, please contact Laryssa.Demkiw
@abc
.com
This is a great opportunity to bring mainstream attention to air quality in schools!
Nearly 18 million adults and 6 million children suffer from Long COVID.
The time has come to start treating the Long COVID crisis as the public health emergency that it is.
We recognize that science has so little to offer Long Covid patients partially due to decades of medical neglect of chronic conditions like ME/CFS, dysautonomia, and MCAS.
There’s still time to urge Congress to include
#LongCovid
in the FY25 budget, but we need your help!
Please take a minute to send a prefilled letter backing $1.2B+ in funding 👇
GET READY – We're hosting a special call/email rally this Thursday! We'll have a written option too! Details tomorrow.
This is a great way to get allies activated on
#LongCovid
. We have the power to make change for children! 🚀
Our website has a brand new, interactive call guide! It’s now easier than ever to find & contact your legislators to demand funding for
#LongCovid
.
Check it out:
💔 Long Covid can make you fall out of love with life!
#LongCovid
is more than lasting effects. It's new and worsening symptoms for weeks, months, even years after infection. Which
#BadRomance
are you in? 💔
We advocate for including comparator groups where appropriate and study of these conditions across triggers, which will bolster scientific efforts and lead to more comprehensive answers for all of us.
We support the framework proposal outlined by
@SenSanders
and want to thank him for his efforts in giving this issue the attention it deserves. We hope that the HELP committee takes our feedback into consideration.
You can read our full response here:
"Long COVID is real. It is negatively impacting tens of millions of people throughout the United States and the world. We can no longer ignore it or sweep it under the rug."
@SenSanders
Yesterday, Senator Bernie Sanders introduced the Long Covid Research Moonshot Act of 2024. The bill allocates $1 billion dollars of mandatory funding per year for the next 10 years for research, treatments, public health education, and expanded healthcare.
We are so grateful to
@IlhanMN
for introducing the House companion to the
#LongCovid
Research Moonshot Act in the House of Representatives today! A HUGE step forward 👏 🙏
Exclusive: Rep.
@Ilhan
will introduce the Long Covid Research Moonshot Act in the House of Representatives today. This is the companion bill to what Sen. Sanders introduced last month. My latest for
@MotherJones
.
In just the last few days, over 100 people have used our site to find their legislators' contact info!
Be sure to check it out our interactive call guide if you haven't already 🚀
"I was an essential worker... I don't want to die of this." -
@YlanRoy
The way our governments have tossed aside essential workers is unacceptable. We need to fund
#LongCovid
research NOW.
Senator Roger Marshall has a family member with Long COVID who was incapacitated for two years. Concerned that CDC is overly focused on vaccines rather than seeking to address Long COVID.
Early testing and treatment are critical for preventing further transmission and improving health outcomes after an infection.
Please join us in demanding the NIH bring back this lifesaving program!
Lifesaving Home
#Test2Treat
aimed to reduce disparities for most at-risk people, with FREE tests, telehealth & treatment for COVID & flu. But it just ended, though 100 million people are eligible. Sign letter to NIH to fight for it.
#CovidIsNotOver
The urgency of
#LongCovid
is beyond words. We need dedicated, long-term funding for ambitious research, incorporating yet far beyond what we already know – we need a
#LongCovidMoonshot
.
The fight against long COVID is not just a medical one. It is a moral one.
Long COVID can have devastating consequences and too many people now face debilitating symptoms as a result.
How many Americans need to suffer before Congress acts boldly to address this crisis?
Join us this Thursday as we host a Moonshot call rally for Pediatric Long Covid Research!
Come together to exchange information, learn the signs of LC/IACC in kids, discuss the facts, and share ways to navigate Pediatric Long Covid, MECFS, and IACCs.
We're receiving so many heartfelt – and heartbreaking –
#LongCovid
stories to prepare for next week's Long Covid Awareness Day. 🖼️🖼️ Visibility matters! Keep them coming! Submit a short text and an optional photo to (also linked on our website)!
9 months ago, our co-founder Lisa McCorkell (
@LisaAMcCorkell
) & Long COVID researcher Michael Peluso (
@MichaelPelusoMD
) called for a Moonshot for Long Covid - an investment of at least $1 billion yearly for 10 years into Long Covid research. 2/
#LongCovid
Allies! CALL FOR US 🙏
Many Long Covid patients are experiencing such severe neurological and energy-limiting symptoms that they can't make a telephone call. Will you be our voice?
Call on behalf of a loved one, and make a difference!
Let’s start with the messy reality: the biology of Long Covid is not yet fully understood, but we are hopeful that this funding will help uncover root cause(s).
The Long COVID Research Moonshot Act is a labor of love by dozens of organizations and over 12,000 comments! 🚀
If you’d like to add your organization, please email nimit_jindal
@help
.senate.gov.
See the current list of endorsers:
#LongCovid
#LongCovid
can happen to anyone, but everyone doesn't receive the same belief, understanding, or treatment. That's wrong, say
@SenTimKaine
& colleagues:
We just surpassed 1,000 total letters sent from over 500 individuals—all backing the FY25
#LongCovid
budget proposal.
Thank you all for your support, let's keep up the momentum!
If you live in a red state, we need your help: please call & write your Senators TODAY for
#LongCovid
funding.
Would be huge to have bipartisan support for this proposal 🙏
DEADLINE EXTENDED 😱
We’ve just gotten word that Senators now have until FRIDAY, MAY 10TH to sign the FY25
#LongCovid
funding letter!
This means you still have time to contact your legislators and urge them to sign onto this crucial funding proposal.
Call guide on our site.
FOR TODAY, BE PROUD.
We are making incredible things happen by coming together and raising our voices. This is no small feat, and speaks to the power of our unity. Celebrate and rest well!
We’re running out of gas with the live tweeting. Thanks,
#LongCOVID
. Shout out of
@betsyladyzhets
and
@patientled
who are also live tweeting! If you need to follow the hearing and can’t watch/listen, follow them!
❔ Are you interested in meeting with your senators – in person or virtually – to get them to support and cosponsor this bill?
❕ Please complete the interest form here:
Senator
@RogerMarshallMD
, we're so grateful for your sharing your personal experience with
#LongCOVID
. By now, we all likely know someone suffering. Support for American families affected by this terrible condition can't come soon enough. 🙏
But our campaign doesn't end there! Through May 14th, we will be continuing to call our legislators to include funding for Long Covid research in the FY25 budget.
We also have an email template you can use in addition to calling!
SHARE YOUR
#LONGCOVID
STORY – send in your story & an optional photo, and we'll create a graphic!
Submit by Wednesday March 13 to be ready for Long Covid Awareness Day on March 15. 🚀
Visit our website, or click the link:
“This is a public health crisis for children,” Gross said. “We know that child health is so critically important for how children grow and even as they become adults, that chronic illness during childhood and adverse experiences during childhood greatly affects the adults that
It is vindicating to see Long Covid’s ongoing tragedy of millions remain in the public eye, alongside the painful memory of everyone lost to Sars-COV-2 so far. Praise to
@SenMarkey
and
@SenWarren
for seeing us — let’s do something about it. 🚀
I am proud to lead the call to designate the first Monday of March as COVID-19 Victims Memorial Day with
@SenWarren
. With more than a million Americans lost to COVID-19 and millions still battling the effects of long COVID, we must honor them by working to prevent more tragedy.
Send Congress a message: we need
#LongCovid
funding in the FY25 budget!
Time is running out, but Senators can still sign onto a letter supporting $1.2B+ in funding.
It takes less than a minute to support this proposal👇
Long COVID is a serious, life-altering condition, and one we are still learning more about every day. At
@HELPCmteDems
hearing, I stressed my continued push for more funding, research, & public health infrastructure to better understand and treat Long COVID.
#LongCovid
can affect anyone – even Senators. We're grateful that our elected representatives, like
@SenTimKaine
, recognize the difficulty of being taken seriously and believed when pursuing medical care.