I agree with
@Cool Cats that not everyone gets long covid. But there is no consistent manifestation of it for anyone to really know if they will develop long covid effects or not.
I mean, for some people, some of their covid symptoms simply remain after their acute infection. That's pretty easy to identify.
But for others, they might unknowingly have an increased susceptibility to heart or lung issues, or a lesser ability to fight off colds and flus, or cancer, or almost any disease.
Think about it -- how would any of us know we have damaged blood vessels or a compromised immune system -- it could take years until that becomes noticeable.
I agree it's really discouraging. Personally I think something like this was bound to happen sooner or later, given our blatant lack of recognition of and action on our population/environmental issues. But I do really wish it hadn't become so politicized (at least in the US) such that we didn't even do what we could to minimize the impacts.
I fear that even as enough people become compromised that effects become noticeable out in society, there won't be a way to affirmatively link those effects to covid. Or maybe there will be a scientifically-observed correlation but yet again those who have been turned against science will refuse to believe it. (I will not be surprised if the recent rash of airplane maintenance incidents is a result of brain fog or similar effects in the pool of mechanics and inspectors. Maybe not, but maybe so.)
IMOO