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TOO many people are ill and can’t be properly treated. They have “functional disorders” like myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), aka chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), that are life-altering and often disabling, but with unclear causes. Doctors struggle to find anything out of the ordinary in blood tests and other investigations. All they can do is try to relieve symptoms.
Now, tens of millions have developed a functional disorder at the same time: long covid. This can set in after infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus and last for months or even years. Despite being initially dismissed by many doctors, people with long covid …