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  • The real story behind the “October slide”

    The real story behind the “October slide”

    Lorraine Boissoneault

    Changing seasons affect many people with Long COVID, myalgic encephalomyelitis, and other chronic illnesses, but not all in the same way. Research has a long way to go before it can explain the phenomenon. Read more…

Recent articles

  • Research updates, October 20
    Science
    Miles W. Griffis

    Research updates, October 20

  • National COVID-19 trends, October 20
    COVID-19
    Betsy Ladyzhets

    National COVID-19 trends, October 20

  • Conferences and advocacy events for IACCs must require masking
    Commentary
    Whitney Fox

    Conferences and advocacy events for IACCs must require masking

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Trending

Trans people with Long COVID navigate a new “dark age” in trans healthTrans people with Long COVID navigate a new “dark age” in trans healthKhalil (Kae) Dennis
How I built a COVID-safer school that’s become the heart of a more caring communityHow I built a COVID-safer school that’s become the heart of a more caring communityLynne Morioka
National COVID-19 trends, October 13National COVID-19 trends, October 13Betsy Ladyzhets
Research updates, October 13Research updates, October 13Miles W. Griffis
The real story behind the “October slide”The real story behind the “October slide”Lorraine Boissoneault

Policy & Advocacy

  • A person in a high quality mask holds a sign at a protest that reads, "Silence=Death" with a trans flag in an equilateral triangle. The person stands in the streets of Los Angeles outside of Children's Hospital Los Angeles during a 2025 protest.
    October 13, 2026

    Trans people with Long COVID navigate a new “dark age” in trans health

  • ME advocate Anil van der Zee holds the Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau medal in his home. He poses with Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema in a darkened room.
    October 2, 2026

    Anil van der Zee receives Dutch royal distinction

  • A graphic shows two images side by side. One shows mobility devices, including many walkers, outside of prison cells. The other shows a red SARS-CoV-2 virus contrasted with a black background.
    September 29, 2026

    I interviewed five people with Long COVID in prison. They are invisible in the system.

  • A close up of a grey stone building at McMaster University. Ivy crawls across the building, changing color in fall. It appears green, orange, and red.
    September 22, 2026

    People with Long COVID demand pause of McMaster University clinical trial

  • A view of the U.S. Pentagon building at night reflecting in the Potomac River. Five bright lights emit from the building like stars.
    September 1, 2026

    Department of Defense funds $8 million grant for Long COVID trials

  • MEAction advocates demonstrate outside of the Capitol building in Washington D.C. on a sunny, spring day. They wear red t-shirts that read "millions missing" and "SOS" as well as high quality masks. One is in a wheelchair, while another sits on a stool. They hold signs that say, "Millions Missing, SOS, 2025, MEAction," that have an illustration of the Statue of Liberty.
    August 18, 2026

    Congress’s 2027 budget could include new funding for Long COVID and ME

1 2 3 … 18
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Science

  • Frederic Leighton's Victorian painting Flaming June (1895) shows a woman in a bright orange dress sleeping with the Mediterranean sea behind her. The painting is edited into a collage with alternating strips of black and white and the full color painting with repeating panels.
    October 20, 2026

    The real story behind the “October slide”

  • A scientific image shows SARS-CoV-2 virus particles, which appear like hundreds ofblue dots, covering a red cell. A blue-black background contrasts the cells.
    October 20, 2026

    Research updates, October 20

  • Hemp plants are backlit by early morning sun. They grow tall and green before a forested backdrop.
    October 13, 2026

    Research updates, October 13

  • Collage graphic featuring a photo of buildings along a canal in Amsterdam, a cluster of tulips, an anatomical diagram showing the human brain and spinal cord, and a diagram of microbes, interspersed with colored blocks in golden and light green.
    October 6, 2026

    Biological pathways and mechanistic trials centered at new Long COVID conference in Amsterdam

  • Helicobacter pylori infection seen medical imaging. The bacteria appears dark brown in clumps in an endoscopic gastric biopsy image.
    October 6, 2026

    Research updates, October 6

  • A servicemember holds a vial of the COVID-19 antiviral, remdesivir. He is a white man with short brown hair and wears a white, high quality mask. He holds the vial in focus for the camera.
    September 29, 2026

    Research updates, September 29

1 2 3 … 40
Next Page

Covid-19

  • Graphic from The Sick Times sharing the latest COVID-19 trends for October 20, 2026. The graphic presents trends for three metrics: WastewaterSCAN category for SARS-CoV-2, which is "high" (represented with red) and slightly decreasing (represented with a diagonal down arrow); CDC wastewater viral activity level for SARS-Cov-2, which is "moderate*" (orange) and slightly increasing (diagonal up arrow); and CDC COVID-19 test positivity, which is moderate (darker yellow) and slightly decreasing (diagonal down arrow). Text below these metrics reads: "*CDC wastewater viral activity levels are calculated based on measurements in the last two years only. They do not account for the lower spread that could be possible with more widespread precautions."
    October 20, 2026

    National COVID-19 trends, October 20

  • Graphic from The Sick Times sharing the latest COVID-19 trends for October 13, 2026. The graphic presents trends for three metrics: WastewaterSCAN category for SARS-CoV-2, which is "high" (represented with orange) and stable (represented with a side to side arrow); CDC wastewater viral activity level for SARS-Cov-2, which is "low*" (darker yellow) and slightly increasing (diagonal up arrow); and CDC COVID-19 test positivity, which is moderate (darker yellow) and slightly decreasing (diagonal down arrow). Text below these metrics reads: "*CDC wastewater viral activity levels are calculated based on measurements in the last two years only. They do not account for the lower spread that could be possible with more widespread precautions."
    October 13, 2026

    National COVID-19 trends, October 13

  • Graphic from The Sick Times sharing the latest COVID-19 trends for October 6, 2026. The graphic presents trends for three metrics: WastewaterSCAN category for SARS-CoV-2, which is "high" (represented with red) and slightly decreasing (represented with a diagonal down arrow); CDC wastewater viral activity level for SARS-Cov-2, which is "very low*" (lighter yellow) and significantly decreasing (directly down arrow); and CDC COVID-19 test positivity, which is moderate (darker yellow) and stable (side to side arrow). Text below these metrics reads: "*CDC wastewater viral activity levels are calculated based on measurements in the last two years only. They do not account for the lower spread that could be possible with more widespread precautions."
    October 6, 2026

    National COVID-19 trends, October 6

  • Graphic from The Sick Times sharing the latest COVID-19 trends for September 29, 2026. The graphic presents trends for three metrics: WastewaterSCAN category for SARS-CoV-2, which is "high" (represented with red) and slightly decreasing (represented with a diagonal down arrow); CDC wastewater viral activity level for SARS-Cov-2, which is "low*" (darker yellow) and stable (side to side arrow); and CDC COVID-19 test positivity, which is moderate (darker yellow) and slightly decreasing. Text below these metrics reads: "*CDC wastewater viral activity levels are calculated based on measurements in the last two years only. They do not account for the lower spread that could be possible with more widespread precautions."
    September 29, 2026

    National COVID-19 trends, September 29

  • Graphic from The Sick Times sharing the latest COVID-19 trends for September 22, 2026. The graphic presents trends for three metrics: WastewaterSCAN category for SARS-CoV-2, which is "high" (represented with red) and slightly increasing (represented with a diagonal up arrow); CDC wastewater viral activity level for SARS-Cov-2, which is "low*" (darker yellow) and stable (side to side arrow); and CDC COVID-19 test positivity, which is moderate (darker yellow) and slightly decreasing (diagonal down arrow). Text below these metrics reads: "*CDC wastewater viral activity levels are calculated based on measurements in the last two years only. They do not account for the lower spread that could be possible with more widespread precautions."
    September 22, 2026

    National COVID-19 trends, September 22

  • A colorful red, orange, and purple microscopic image shows coronavirus particles in vibrant detail.
    September 15, 2026

    Research updates, September 15

1 2 3 … 32
Next Page

Health

  • Frederic Leighton's Victorian painting Flaming June (1895) shows a woman in a bright orange dress sleeping with the Mediterranean sea behind her. The painting is edited into a collage with alternating strips of black and white and the full color painting with repeating panels.
    October 20, 2026

    The real story behind the “October slide”

  • A person in a high quality mask holds a sign at a protest that reads, "Silence=Death" with a trans flag in an equilateral triangle. The person stands in the streets of Los Angeles outside of Children's Hospital Los Angeles during a 2025 protest.
    October 13, 2026

    Trans people with Long COVID navigate a new “dark age” in trans health

  • A graphic shows two images side by side. One shows mobility devices, including many walkers, outside of prison cells. The other shows a red SARS-CoV-2 virus contrasted with a black background.
    September 29, 2026

    I interviewed five people with Long COVID in prison. They are invisible in the system.

  • A young woman stands by a staircase with a backdrop of tree canopy.  She wears a white, high quality mask and has long dark hair. She wears a teal sweatshirt and black pants.
    September 21, 2026

    COVID-19 — not TikTok — is disabling young women

  • Miles  [12:23 PM] ID: A burnt, but surviving Joshua tree stands in the Dome Fire burn scar during sunset. A far away mountain glows in the late day light. Thousands of dead Joshua trees stand on the burnscar among invasive grasses that paint the landscape gold.
    September 8, 2026

    We made a COVID-19 memorial in the ashes of a Joshua tree forest

  • A graphic shows a white woman in a high quality mask on the subway. She wears a glasses, hoops, and has a short hair. Overlaid over the black and white photo are various shades of pink circles.
    August 14, 2026

    Breast cancer exposed the lack of care I receive for Long COVID

1 2 3 … 21
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Commentary

  • Audience members at a conference wear masks while watching a presentation.
    October 19, 2026

    Conferences and advocacy events for IACCs must require masking

  • October 9, 2026

    How I built a COVID-safer school that’s become the heart of a more caring community

  • A young woman stands by a staircase with a backdrop of tree canopy.  She wears a white, high quality mask and has long dark hair. She wears a teal sweatshirt and black pants.
    September 21, 2026

    COVID-19 — not TikTok — is disabling young women

  • A demonstrator holds a cardboard sign that reads  "People Not Profit." The demonstrator has long hair and wears a high quality black mask.
    September 15, 2026

    Denial is a tactic for both the COVID-19 and climate crises

1 2 3 … 28
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The Sick Times is an independent news site founded by journalists Betsy Ladyzhets and Miles Griffis. We report on the Long COVID crisis, COVID-19, and infection-associated illnesses.

Contact:
editors@thesicktimes.org

PO Box 331009
Brooklyn, NY 11233

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