Imagine waking up every day feeling like you're stuck in a fog—unable to breathe fully, remember details, or keep up with work. That's the reality for **Charlie McCone**, 32, a San Francisco resident whose life flipped after contracting COVID-19 in 2020. Now disabled by long COVID, he’s part of a growing wave of Americans battling invisible symptoms while fighting for recognition.
📉 The Numbers Don’t Lie
The CDC reports nearly 24 million U.S. adults suffer from long COVID, with Brookings Institute data revealing 4 million job losses linked to its effects. 'We’re treated like ghosts,' Charlie told CGTN Stringer. 'The government hasn’t warned people—they don’t grasp how serious this is.'
🚨 A Forgotten Health Emergency?
Critics say the lack of federal action has left long COVID patients in limbo. Fatigue, memory loss, and breathing issues are dismissed or downplayed, creating a 'silent tsunami' of disability. 'How many more need to suffer before someone listens?' Charlie asks.
