Long Covid Support Aotearoa

Sick and Tired Aotearoa A show that shines a light on chronic and invisible illnesses in Aotearoa.

Tune in to Manawatu People's Radio tonight at 9pm, head to www.mpr.nz/show/sickandtiredaotearoa or find it in the usual podcast spots.

Sick and Tired Aotearoa: This episode acknowledges International Long Covid Awareness Day with Larisa Hockey, Chair of Long Covid Support Aotearoa and Louise Thornley, who has lived experience of chronic illness, including Long Covid.

Covid is still here. People are still being hospitalized, people are still dying, and every infection increases the risk of Long covid. We need to reduce the spread.

Covid is still here. Every infection increases the risk of Long Covid.

I’ve been beating this drum, doing all I can towards this goal for a long time. The pushback, dismissive attitudes and wilful ignorance from schools is depressing and infuriating.

No political parties in NZ are taking this seriously. I’m still convinced it’ll take legal action against a school.

New Zealand research finds poor classroom air quality hinders learning — Emission Impossible 10 July 2025 Clean air classrooms were in the news last month, courtesy of a new PhD thesis by Massey University graduate Dr Lara Tookey whose experiments demonstrated that students performed bet...

New Zealand research finds poor classroom air quality hinders learning

www.emissionimpossible.co.nz/news-archive...

We need clean air in schools. Covid is airborne with tiny aerosol particles. Ventilation and air filtration are proven to reduce levels of Covid in the air. We need to minimize transmission in schools.

With Aotearoa in its ninth wave, it is vital to stop Covid spreading in schools.

Preventing more #longcovid and preventing worsening of health baselines through prevention of repeated Covid infections is the other side of the coin

Ninth wave of Covid-19 suggests wane in immunity, expert says everyone must 'act to reduce impact' The latest figures show 50 hospitalisations and 19 deaths with the virus in the past week.

Covid Wave: Expert says everyone must 'act to reduce impact'

www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

Sorry to hear that!

Doctors are dismissing actual illness with an implication of mental illness. The actual research shows physical changes to the blood of those suffering from Long Covid. “Do No Harm”.

People with long COVID continue to experience medical gaslighting more than 3 years into the pandemic People with long COVID report that their symptoms are dismissed or not treated seriously by health-care providers. This medical gaslighting not only prevents treatment but can cause stigma and shame.

People with long COVID continue to experience medical gaslighting more than 3 years into the pandemic share.google/HYEQejFRBRDE...

Black graphic with silver frame and LCSA teal logo and LC Awareness ribbon. White text says: People are being misdiagnosed. People report having their symptoms dismissed as psychological. Doctors still aren't well educated on Long Covid.

#longcovid #longcovidawarenessday #6years

POTS symptoms that are often missed: lightheadedness, insomnia, heart palpitations, air hunger, temp intolerance, sound sensitivity, adrenaline dumps, headaches, coat hanger pain, tremors, joint pain, brain fog, vision changes, exercise intolerance, GI nausea, abnormal fatigue. Graphic by The POTS Life.

POTS symptoms that are often missed

➡️ Dysautonomia / POTS is a huge and misunderstood part of #longcovid

H/t The POTS Life on fb

Many children suffering ongoing Covid symptoms More than 20 per cent of children and young people in Aotearoa New Zealand are experiencing significant persistent health symptoms following Covid-19 infection, according to a new Otago-led study.

Many children suffering ongoing Covid symptoms | University of Otago www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroo...

Black graphic with LCSA logo and LC Awareness ribbon. White writing says Children are still unwell. Long Covid can affect people of all ages. 20% of children and young people are having persistent health symptoms following Covid 19 infection, according to a 2025 Otago study. This causes them to miss school and social time.

#longcovid #longcovidkids #lcawarenessday

We need to keep talking about #longCOVID
The collective amnesia/purposeful ignorance of long-COVID & about the long-term consequences of repeated SARS-COV-2 infection in general is embarrassing

Listen: Episode 8 from 27:55 on Quarantine Nation - Long Covid www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3609...

Long Covid impacts people’s ability
to work: cross-sectional study in
Aotearoa New Zealand
6530.pdf share.google/90b8RDoX4zxB...

Black box with LCSA logo and ribbon logo. Writing says: Thousands are still off work. Many people with Long Covid have to reduce work or study hours. Some remain unable to work at all.

Thousands are still off work. People with Long Covid need work accommodations and access to supports and benefits.

#longcovid #longcovidawarenessday
#kiwi #nzpol

Blyth ex-GP says long Covid patients are being forgotten The NHS in the North East and Cumbria is closing its last dedicated long Covid clinics this month.

A doctor whose career ended after getting the virus says long Covid patients are being forgotten

6 years on there are "hundreds of thousands of people" in the UK with significant long Covid who could not work and were "not acknowledged," she says

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Black square with silver frame and white writing saying: We still need research. Around 10% of people who get Covid stay sick. Research is urgently needed for a cure for the many debilitating symptoms. LCSA teal logo is at the bottom and Long Covid ribbon is at top right.

Six years on from the first Covid cases, many people still have symptoms associated with Long Covid. We still need research. #longcovidawarenessday #longcovid

In the lead up to International Long Covid Awareness Day, we'll be sharing some key messages that our community want the public to know.

Long Covid can affect anyone who has had Covid 19, regardless of age or health

#longcovid can affect anyone who has had Covid 19, regardless of age or health

Thanks to WHO Europe for the graphic.

Square promotional graphic with a teal background and blurred virus imagery. The Emerge Australia logo appears in the top left. A dark blue panel reads “Emerge Australia Long COVID Awareness Week 2026” with dates “9 March – 15 March.” A banner at the bottom says “WEBPAGE LAUNCH.”

🌐 We’re thrilled to launch the official webpage for #EmergeAustralia’s 2026 #LongCOVIDAwarenessWeek: Breaking Barriers, Building Support! Your go-to resource for the week!

🔗 View webpage here: zurl.co/oT4Ka
Check back often for updates & join us as we work together.

Sick and Tired Aotearoa A show that shines a light on chronic and invisible illnesses in Aotearoa.

Listen: The first episode of Sick and Tired Aotearoa for 2026 is tonight, and it's all about relationships - with Laura Wolf - Author and Renee's husband Hugh in the second half.

Head to www.mpr.nz/show/sickandtiredaotearoa or look us up in the usual podcast spots from 9pm

A photo shows German biathalete Justus Strelow in Munich, Germany during an pre-Olympics event on January 19, 2026. He is a young white man and wears a black, high quality mask and a red t-shirt. Behind him are logos of brands and the German Olympic team. The text reads, “The Sick Times. Winter Olympic athletes are rightfully taking COVID-19 precautions. By Miles W. Griffis.”

"Many of these athletes are also taking precautions by isolating and masking around family members and friends — something disabled people, including those with Long COVID, have been doing since the beginning of the pandemic." — Miles W. Griffis, Winter Olympic athletes are rightfully taking COVID-19 precautions

Some Winter Olympics athletes, teams, and their loved ones are protecting themselves from airborne pathogens by masking and isolating.

Meanwhile, the media stigmatizes disease prevention while minimizing serious risks of Long COVID.

Read more from @mileswgriffis.bsky.social: bit.ly/4rHDA6R

Promotional graphic for the 4th Canadian Symposium on Long COVID announcing a Call for Abstracts (deadline April 30, 2026) and a Call for Art Pieces (deadline July 15, 2026). The image includes symposium details, dates (October 15–16, 2026), virtual and in-person format, and a photo of masked attendees discussing a research poster at a previous symposium.

Calls open for the 2026 #LCWSymposium!
Abstracts: Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit abstracts by April 30, 2026: bit.ly/4qdg7dB

Art Pieces: We invite People with Lived Experience to share creative works reflecting their #LongCOVID journeys.
Submit by July 15, 2026: bit.ly/3Lflsln

"What does it mean to have Long Covid?"

Dr Nancy Klimas explains:

#watch #longcovid

www.facebook.com/share/r/1C51...

An image of a red, blotchy rash on a person's inner arm with a finger pointing to the affected area. The heading reads "New-Onset Allergies Another Woe for Patients With Long COVID." Below the image is the date "Medscape · 22h" and the author's name "By Lois Anzelowitz Levine, MA." The article discusses the challenges faced by Long COVID patients, including new allergies.

Long COVID Linked to New-Onset Allergies

"Following SARS-CoV-2 infection, participants were 74% more likely to be diagnosed with chronic rhinosinusitis, 66% more likely to be diagnosed with asthma, and 37% more likely to be allergic rhinitis."

Source: archive.md/R5nVs

Ngā mihi o te tau hou Pākehā! We hope you had a safe and restful festive season.

Both our sites, Newtown Library in Pōneke Wellington and the Western Community Centre in Kirikiriroa Hamilton, are open again and are stocked with masks.