New Clinic Focuses on Treating COVID-19 Long-Haulers in South Florida

With Florida's COVID-19 numbers continuing to drop, state-run vaccination sites like the one at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens were shutting down Friday.

But as one door closes, coronavirus long-hauler clinics are opening up instead.

Doctors say despite the progress since the start of the pandemic, COVID-19 long-haulers - those who suffer long-term effects from the virus - aren't out of the woods yet.

"We started seeing patients who had symptoms which were not explainable. They had shortness of breath, headaches, brain fog, anxiety, depression and so much fear of the disease," said Dr. Syeda Hussain, associate program director of internal medicine at Memorial Healthcare System.

To meet their needs, Memorial Healthcare System has created a long-haulers clinic focused on treating both the physical and mental health components of Long-Haulers Syndrome. The clinic opened in May and has seen about 75 patients.

"Approximately 10 to 20 of these patients regardless of the fact of whether they had the severe disease or mild or they had no symptoms at all, tend to have these post-Covid symptoms," Hussain said.

According to a recent study by the Journal of the American Medical Association, 30% of Covid patients reported persistent symptoms six months after being infected.

“We noticed that it’s kind of debilitating for them and that it’s not helping them get back to their normal life so as a healthcare provider we noticed that our community is suffering," Hussain said.

The clinic is open to Memorial patients so far but they are looking to expand the program to the general public and community.

Patients with lasting effects from acute COVID-19 virus are encouraged to make an appointment with their Memorial Primary Care physician through MyChart or call 954-276-5552.

Here's the list of the state-supported vaccination sites closing in South Florida:

• Brentwood Park – Last day vaccines will be administered at this site is Friday, June 25

• Bucky Dent Park Gymnasium – Last day vaccines will be administered at this site is Friday, June 18

• Florida Memorial University – Last day vaccines will be administered at this site is Friday, June 25

• Hard Rock Stadium – Last day vaccines will be administered at this site is Friday, June 18

• Helen Miller Center – Last day vaccines will be administered at this site is Friday, June 25

• Marlins Stadium – Last day vaccines will be administered at this site is Friday, June 18

• Miami Beach Convention Center – Last day vaccines will be administered at this site is Friday, June 18

• Oak Grove Park, Father Gerard Jean-Juste Community Center – Last day vaccines will be administered at this site is Friday, June 18

• Overtown, Parking Lot – Last day vaccines will be administered at this site is Friday, June 18

• Ronselli Park Youth Center – Last day vaccines will be administered at this site is Friday, June 25

• Broward College, North Campus – Last day vaccines will be administered at this site is Friday, June 18

• Vizcaya Park – Last day vaccines will be administered at this site is Friday, June 18

• Vincent Torres Park – Last day vaccines will be administered at this site is Friday, June 25