How does long COVID affect Black, brown patients? Mount Sinai joins study

NEW YORK - Mount Sinai is now part of a national research team studying long COVID in Black and brown patients.

Mount Sinai studies long COVID patients in new East Harlem clinic

After Dora-Louise Summers caught COVID two years ago, she never quite fully recovered.

"Brain fog, shortness of breath, feeling weak," Summers said, describing her symptoms. "You know the answer to it, but when you get ready to say it, it's like wait a minute."

Summers recently found herself referred to Mount Sinai's new long COVID clinic in East Harlem, where Dr. Rachel Engelberg is studying the ongoing effects of the pandemic on underserved communities.

"Patients who are in Harlem and the Bronx were hardest hit by COVID during the height of the pandemic," Engelberg said, "so these are likely the populations that are really bearing the brunt of long COVID now, so there's definitely a need to reach those patients and get them into care."

Long COVID clinics across U.S. share case studies

Mount Sinai is one of nine long COVID clinics nationwide, now established and funded by the federal government for five years as they meet monthly to share their case studies. Each program received $1 million from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality .

"We can more formally standardize what the protocols are for treating patients with long COVID," said Engelberg, "so that for the majority of doctors, it's not such a confusing situation where you're not sure what to do, but maybe it becomes more algorithmic of how you approach the different symptom burden."

Engelberg said, while there is no cure or treatment standard yet, the team can help alleviate the ailments that come with long COVID. If you are experiencing some of the same symptoms as Summers for three months or longer beyond your COVID diagnosis, see a doctor about your options.

"Take them seriously because other things can materialize behind that," Summers said.

Appointments are available now at the East Harlem clinic on East 102nd Street and Mount Sinai's other post-COVID care locations around the city. To learn more, click here .

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