A new study published in the Nature Medicine journal found that people who have been infected with the coronavirus are much more likely to encounter cardiovascular disease compared to those who were never infected.
Millions of American COVID-19 patients have struggled with the long-term effects of COVID since the beginning of the pandemic, dubbed "long COVID."
Symptoms for "long haulers" can include fatigue and anxiety, brain fog, joint or chest pain, unexplained changes in blood pressure, dizziness, diarrhea, and nausea.
The Nature Medicine article focuses on cardiovascular diseases, using data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to study over 150,000 veterans who contracted COVID for up to a year after recovery.
Researchers found that those who had a COVID infection were more likely to have inflammatory heart disease, heart attacks, heart failure, clotting, and other cardiovascular symptoms compared to those who had never been infected.
Those who contracted COVID were over 60% more likely to develop a cardiac issue.
Also in the news:
►The number of new coronavirus cases around the world fell 21% in the last week, marking the third consecutive week that COVID-19 cases have dropped, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.
►Queen Elizabeth II canceled scheduled online engagements on Tuesday because she is still experiencing mild cold-like symptoms after testing positive for COVID-19, Buckingham Palace said.
📈Today's numbers: The U.S. has recorded more than 78.6 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and nearly 938,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Global totals: More than 427.4 million cases and over 5.9 million deaths. More than 215 million Americans – 64.8% – are fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
📘 What we're reading: The CDC found 21 cases of multi-system inflammatory syndrome in teens who got at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. While the report may appear concerning at first, experts say a deeper dive into the data highlights the importance of COVID vaccination in children and teens as most of the cases were in those not considered fully vaccinated.
Keep refreshing this page for the latest news. Want more? Sign up for USA TODAY's free Coronavirus Watch newsletter to receive updates directly to your inbox and join our Facebook group.
National Guard troops likely to be deployed for DC trucker convoys
After a weekend of unprecedented Canadian police action to disperse protesters against COVID-19 restrictions in the country's capital, the U.S. National Guard is considering sending hundreds of troops to brace for demonstrators in Washington.
Trucker convoys have been planning to protest pandemic restrictions such as mask mandates and vaccines beginning next week. Canadian police arrested almost 200 people Friday and Saturday as they cleared out streets after weeks of protest.
The convoys planning to enter the D.C. area are inspired by their Canadian counterparts, according to organizer websites. The U.S. convoys all have different planned starting points and departure dates.
A Pentagon official told The Associated Press that 700 to 800 unarmed National Guard members were expected to be approved to assist in traffic direction in Washington. The White House also said it is monitoring the situation, as truckers may be arriving in the days leading up to and on the day of President Joe Biden's planned March 1 State of the Union address to Congress.
— Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY
Contributing: The Associated Press
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