LOS ANGELES — In May of this year, the federal government announced the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, but for the thousands infected every day and the millions living with the long-term consequences of infection, the pandemic is as real as ever.

When Miles Griffis was first infected with COVID-19 in early 2020, his symptoms were mild. But, as the weeks passed by, his condition persisted, evolved and worsened. More than three years later, Griffis still suffers from many symptoms, including fatigue, cognitive dysfunction and post exertional malaise. 

Griffis has long COVID, persisting symptoms that can linger weeks, months or even years after initial infection. Although symptoms can vary dramatically from person to person, millions of Americans suffer from the same condition.

Griffis was unsatisfied with the quantity and quality of coverage long COVID was receiving in the media, so, being a professional writer and journalist, he decided to take on the problem himself. Alongside his colleague Betsy Ladyzhets, Griffis founded The Sick Times, a publication dedicated to long COVID reporting, in hopes that more coverage will lead to greater understanding of the condition and substantive action to help those impacted by it.