Free article in NYT
A Clearer Picture of Covid’s Lasting Effects on the Body
of note to brass players..
Of the body systems surveyed in the article, the lung problems may be the best-understood. However, the permanent damage from temporary inflammation seems to be a common thread among all.Covid irritates the lungs and can cause long-term issues, like persistent shortness of breath and coughing...
The cause: The virus invades cells along the airways, causing inflammation that can attack and sometimes destroy healthy lung tissue. This can impair the lungs’ ability to deliver oxygen throughout the body...
As the lungs try to recover and repair, they form scars. But scar tissue itself can stiffen the lungs and reduce lung capacity, leading to lasting symptoms such as a cough and shortness of breath.