The COVID Time Capsule
CDC. (2025, July 24). Long COVID Basics. Long COVID. https://www.cdc.gov/long-covid/about/index.html
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Lasting Effects
Even after vaccines had arrived and restrictions were being lifted, many people were continuing to experience Long COVID symptoms or were still dealing with last grief. While the pandemic was "over", the impact of it never hit pause.
National COVID Memorial Wall
The National COVID Memorial Wall located in London, United Kingdom was created in 2021 to honor those lost during the pandemic. It's about a mile-long mural made up of over 150,000 hand-painted hearts, which each represents a life that was lost due to COVID-19 in the United Kingdom. Created by griefing families, volunteers, and community members that came together in solidarity, it stretches from the River Thames right across from the Houses of Parliament, which serves as a reminder that every number in a statistic was a person with a story. Some of the hearts have names, messages, or dates as a more personal little memorial for a person, but the blank ones still hold the same amount of meaning. This memorial truly captures the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, and I find it so beautiful because it was made with so much love.
National Covid Memorial Wall. (n.d.). National Covid Memorial Wall. https://www.nationalcovidmemorialwall.org/
Long COVID: What Is It?
The CDC thoroughly analyzes but provides a simplistic and easy-to-understand explanation of Long COVID, which is a chronic condition that typically develops after being infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Long COVID can last for weeks, months, or even years after initially having the illness. This condition has a wide range of symptoms that may affect many organ systems, these symptoms including but not limited to fatigue, shortness of breath, and cognitive issues. Unfortunately, anyone who has experienced the COVID-19 illness is capable of having Long COVID, regardless of how severely sick you were in the first place. Personally knowing a few individuals who have had to learn to live with Long COVID, I felt that it's an important piece of the pandemic's history to include within this project. Along with that, highlighting this condition shows the significant impact COVID-19 left on us as a whole.
Key Points
- "Long COVID is a serious illness that can result in chronic conditions requiring comprehensive care and may cause disability."
- "Long COVID can include a wide range of ongoing symptoms and conditions that can last weeks, months, or even years after COVID-19 illness."
- "Anyone who had a SARS-CoV-2 infection, the virus that causes COVID-19, can experience Long COVID, including children."
- "COVID-19 vaccination is the best available tool to prevent Long COVID."
- "Living with Long COVID can be difficult and isolating, especially when there are no immediate answers or solutions."
Who Is More At Risk?
- Women
- Hispanic and Latino People
- People who experienced more severe COVID-19 illness, especially hospitalized/intensive care patients
- People with health conditions
- Adults ages 65 or older
- People who did not receive the COVID-19 vaccine
Preventing Long COVID
- Staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccination(s)
- Practicing good hygiene
- Taking steps for cleaner air
- When you may have a respiratory virus, use precautions to prevent further spread, and seek medical attention to get tested or to receive treatment
CDC. (2025, July 24). Long COVID Basics. Long COVID. https://www.cdc.gov/long-covid/about/index.html
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