Few of the 23 million Americans with lingering symptoms are getting answers – in this dangerous void, alternative providers and wellness companies have created a cottage industry
Robert McCann, a 44-year-old political strategist from Lansing, Michigan, sleeps for 15 hours – and when he wakes up, he still finds it impossible to get out of bed. Sometimes he wakes up so confused that he’s unsure of what day it is.
McCann tested positive for Covid in July of 2020. He had mild symptoms that resolved within about a week. But a few months later, pain, general confusion, and debilitating exhaustion returned and never fully left. McCann’s symptoms fluctuated between grin-and-bare-it tolerability and debilitation. After a barrage of doctor’s appointments, MRIs, X-rays, blood work, breathing tests, and Cat scans, he had spent more than $8,000 out of pocket – all with no answers. Nearly a year and a half since his symptoms returned, on some days it can take him upwards of three hours to get out of bed.
