, Columnist
Does a Mild Case of Covid Really Damage Your Brain?
The media jumped on a study that suggested Covid causes brain shrinkage. But like so many other pandemic fears, it’s gotten distorted.
Walking to work and catching up on the latest terrifying headlines.
Photographer: BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Scary headlines about the long-term effects of Covid gain traction easily. Recent news reports have warned that “even mild Covid can cause brain shrinkage,” “memory loss” and “long term” “brain damage” that “greatly” changes the brain “as much as a decade of aging.” Over time, that fear is likely to wear no better than fears that the virus could spread outdoors at beaches or on pieces of mail.
The media shouldn’t underplay the danger of the pandemic, but overplaying risks can degrade public trust and focus attention on the wrong things.