On September 18 2023, around 40 people affected by Long Covid met at BRICS in the evening at the invitation of KIBiS (Kontakt, Information und Beratung im Selbsthilfebereich). Prof. Dieter Jahn gave a presentation on the current state of science and his personal experiences with SARS-CoV-2.
After Prof. Jahn contracted a life-threatening case of Covid in March 2020, he was able to return home after his stay in hospital to get back to his everyday life. However, symptoms of Long Covid disease remained - in his case, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome with permanent tiredness. Prof. Jahn has now come to terms with this: "I live with it, I work around Long Covid. After work, I go home, sleep and then work again in the evening. Of course, that's not possible in many other jobs." As a member of the Long Covid Expert Council of the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture, Prof. Jahn is committed to the recognition of Long Covid both as a patient and as an infection biologist. And he informs the Expert Council about how those affected really feel - and what helps them.
In the discussion that followed the presentation, it became clear that many of Long Covid patients feel the need to talk about their problems. The exchange with other affected persons and recognition by doctors, health and pension funds are of great importance, especially against the background of the continued lack of social recognition for Long Covid. The audience shared tips on different treatment approaches, nutrition, books, advice centers and apps. Due to the current state of science, many people are unsure what they should do. Prof. Jahn also emphasized: "The problem with Long Covid is that every body reacts individually. That's why everyone responds differently to different therapies. We are still at the very beginning of our research."