When the COVID-19 pandemic first swept through the world, the initial instinct was survival. Social distancing, masks, hand sanitizer, vaccines. But now, as the virus mutates into its next chapter with variants like FLiRT and Pirola shifting the epidemiological goalposts, we find ourselves dealing with something more subtle and enduring: the way the virus redefined our understanding of immunity, especially for those living with chronic conditions.

Long COVID:

She’s talking about the phenomenon now called Long COVID, a condition that doesn’t just linger but rewires the system. “You may think you’ve recovered,” she adds, “but underneath, your immune cells are working on a new script. Sometimes, that includes attacking your own tissues.”

Dr. Akanksha Saxena, a general physician who consults on Practo, outlines a little-known effect of COVID-19: “Even after the infection resolves, the immune system can be permanently altered. It’s not just the virus we’re fighting, it’s the long-term fatigue it leaves behind.”

A cytokine storm (essentially an immune system going haywire) leads not just to inflammation but in some cases to irreversible organ damage. In other cases, it leaves people vulnerable to entirely new infections due to suppressed immunity. In short, the virus can reset the immune system’s thermostat... and not always for the better.

Chronic Disease Meets an Overloaded Immune System:

Think of it this way: if your immune system is a team, chronic disease is already benching a few key players. COVID just sends the rest to the hospital.

Consider the invisible millions living with hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and kidney disorders. These are the most vulnerable lot. “COVID-19 is one of the leading causes of acute heart failure now,” Dr. Saxena explains. “And for those who already have chronic illnesses, the risk of severe COVID complications (and mortality) is far greater.” The concern is whether your body is already carrying the burden of disease before the virus enters.

What We Can Do Now:

It might be as simple as a change in breakfast. Dr. Saxena offers this: “We now know that food can serve as frontline medicine. Think berries, leafy greens, nuts, fish oil, citrus fruits. These increase white blood cell production, reduce inflammation, and improve vascular health.”

Even the kitchen has a few superfoods for our post-pandemic bodies: turmeric milk (aka golden milk), beetroot-carrot-apple juice, and green tea with lemon and honey are virologically smart. Managing chronic disease in a post-pandemic world requires new strategies. Gone are the days of reactive medicine. In their place, consistent screening, yoga, meditation, and low-impact exercise are required. The immunity conversation now includes breathwork, sleep cycles, and even therapy.

Mental health has become a co-morbidity of chronic disease. The stress of lockdowns, financial instability, and fear of contagion left behind a population worn thin, psychologically and immunologically. We can’t avoid the virus forever. But we can prepare the body (especially one that carries the extra baggage of chronic illness) for what is to come.

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