Long-term COVID-19 hit hard, say Stateline residents

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - The long-term effects of COVID-19 may not disappear anytime soon for some people.

Area residents Breanna Hedman and Judy Johnson, contracted COVID-19 but continue to deal with different long term effects from the virus.

“My symptoms include brain fog, migraines, fainting, blood pressure spikes and drops, gastrointestinal issues,” Hedman said.

“Singing in church or something like that, I just can’t sustain that long. If I talk for a long period of time, I can feel that my voice is just very course,” Johnson told 23 News.

Because COVID-19 is so new, experts say they’re just learning about its reverberations.

Doctor Martine Schultheis, a family physician with OSF Healthcare, says current studies focus on how to treat long form COVID. For now, she says the most important thing to do is take care of your body. “Listen to your body, stay hydrated, make sure you take your vitamins, get plenty of rest, eat healthy, three meals a day, avoid junk food and soda.”

Schultheis says the variants could dictate what your long-lasting side effects are. Those experiencing brain fog and migraines could have been infected with a different strain to those with repertory issues.

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