I wake up in the morning and assess my symptoms. For me, it is usually some cocktail of brain fog, fatigue, muscle pain and/or restless legs, pins and needles in my toes, and post exertional malaise. After the disappointment that I still woke up chronically ill, I check my sleep score on my fit bit and do either brain training or a meditation through an app that’s main purpose is to help me believe that I can recover. In this morning routine I take note of any sort of particularly stressful disturbance in my sleep or in the day before which can exacerbate my symptoms and potentially lead to a long COVID “crash,” where it starts to feel like I have COVID all over again. Kelly Schlabach The last time I felt “normal” was New Years Day, January 2022. It was the second semester of my PhD program. For most people getting COVID isn’t a huge deal. They get sick and they get better. That wasn’t true for me. January 2022 was the start of my journey with long Covid that I am still recovering from. The last four years have involved brain MRIs, EMGs, CAT Scans, lung functioning tests, physical therapy for my eyes, physical therapy for my fatigue, visits to neurologists, neurophthalmologists, blood work, naturopaths, of course my pcp, multiple rounds of prednisone, supplements, prescription medications, acupuncture, and infusions, all to deal with my symptoms.Things that I never thought I would have to do at, at that point, 28 years old. My symptoms were so severe in those first months I had trouble reading more than five pages, taking my dog for walks, cooking for myself, hanging out with friends, and all these activities both imperative for graduate school and activities I used to take for granted. As someone living with Long Covid, these experiences remind me how essential affordable health insurance is. Increasing the cost of health insurance will have a lasting impact for graduate workers like me and I expect many others. Yet, during ongoing contract negotiations with our union, the University of Connecticut administration is currently proposing to increase Graduate Assistant health insurance costs by 67% over the next four years. UConn must immediately change course and maintain affordable health insurance for graduate assistants. I am just one person who suffers from long covid. Research has shown that Black and Hispanic Americans “experience more symptoms and health problems related to long COVID.” One study showed a third of Black people who contracted COVID-19 have had long COVID symptoms, yet are still not heard or not believed about their symptoms. This is contributing to the systemic racism already rampant in our healthcare system. This all leads me to ask, how many people at UConn are struggling with long COVID and are not heard or not believed? How many people are surviving because of UConn’s expansive insurance and would struggle if they lost it? How many people would have to choose between paying for the premium on UConn’s insurance or some other necessity? As a graduate assistant with the GA health insurance plan, UConn’s insurance and particularly the affordable co-pays made the progress that I’ve made in my recovery accessible to me as well as the mental health treatment that was required to both recover and navigate new life being chronically ill. In addition, the low premium of our insurance was one of the reasons I chose UConn. I was choosing between two universities including UConn when I noticed that the premiums for health insurance at the other university would take a deep cut out of the GA salary that I was contracted for. I knew good insurance and affordable insurance was something I really needed to take into consideration, which UConn could give me through the union’s advocacy and current plan. This is not the first time the university has tried to change our health insurance plan. In fact, the UConn administration’s decision to suddenly switch health insurance plans to a worse plan was the very motivating factor why graduate assistants unionized over ten years ago. But our union fought and won a health insurance plan that ensures all GAs have the right to wellness. Now, UConn’s current proposed increases to the health insurance premiums would contribute to these aforementioned health disparities, and make healthcare even less accessible than it is now. Wellness is one of the areas of focus in the strategic plan and many of us can’t afford wellness if we don’t have adequate and accessible insurance. UConn should keep the insurance rates stable without increases so graduate students can have the support they need and deserve to take care of their wellness, and so graduate students with chronic illness don’t face an undue burden to care for their treatment.  Kelly Schlabach is a graduate assistant at the University of Connecticut. ...read more read less