Dear President Biden & Admiral Levine:

Now that President Biden has tested positive for Covid-19, he -- like the 100k+ people in the U.S. infected each day -- is at risk of Long Covid. Though there is still much to learn about, we know that 67% of Long Covid cases occur in people with mild acute cases, and that rest significantly decreases risk.

But early images of the Covid+ President show a man at work (often maskless), likely meant to thwart ageist criticism, reinforce vaccine efficacy, and posture to our enemies that the Commander-in-Chief is well.

Unfortunately, such images undermine the work you are taking on under the Presidential Memorandum on Addressing the Long-Term effects of Covid-19, by encouraging Covid+ people to work instead of isolating, resting, and masking up.

At a status update on this Presidential Memorandum last Friday, you began your remarks by stating “Long Covid is real.” In a debrief that Marked By COVID organized for people living with Covid grief and/or Long Covid following that briefing many pointed to that sentence as progress. However, they also shared they left the briefing “underwhelmed,” “exhausted,” and “frustrated.”

Topline takeaways were the need for:

• A large, meaningful, national reckoning of losses due to the pandemic, including the more than one million people who have died.
• Financial support for Covid-bereaved and Long Covid individuals.
• Stopping infections and reinfections to keep new people from joining our massive constituency of people living with Covid grief and/or Long Covid.
• Real partnership through a Federal Advisory Committee, including a formal advisory role.
• A massive public education campaign and leadership about the risk, prevalence and likelihood of developing Long Covid; and how to minimize risk of developing Long Covid.

Please do not undermine CDC guidance and reinforce a toxic work culture of working while sick. This is wrong and harmful, especially with Covid-19. Instead the White House should be using this opportunity to educate the public on the best way to avoid long-term illness and potential disability.

During times of crisis we depend on our leaders to lead, by taking bold action and modeling healthy behaviors. We now need that more than ever, and sincerely hope you are up for the challenge.

Sign the letter demanding real action on the long-term effects of Covid-19. >>>