Four years since national COVID-19 emergency: The enduring battle with long COVID

OUGHTIBRIDGE, SHEFFIELD, UK JANUARY 27 2024 Fran Haddock (33) and Dan Kenny (35) met while studying vetinary medecine. They have been together for over a decade, and used to enjoy many outdoors pursuits together despite Fran having mild ME. Since she contracted covid while visit a friend in over a year ago, her world shrank to the interior of her Oughtibridge (Sheffield) home. She now suffers from severe ME and long covid, and is completely bedridden, requiring the use of a wheelchair to move between rooms. Dan works four days a week as a vetinary surgeon, but the remainder of his time is spent caring for Fran. They still have dates together, cuddling up and watching films from the bed. Dan also brings the outside world to Fran, presenting her with elements from nature that he collects on his weekend adventures in nature, to remind her of the world outside and, in a way, keeping her with him. (Rhiannon Adam for The Washington Post via Getty Images)