Woman uses social media to spread awareness of long COVID-19

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - This week marks the four year anniversary of when COVID-19 was officially declared a pandemic.

Jemma Bellae is battling effects of the virus every day and is using social media to help others. 

She is a content creator with more than 19,000 followers on TikTok and nearly 42,000 on Instagram. 

"There are beautiful, wonderful people out there and filled with love and support for each other. And I know sometimes it can feel really rough, like in the deepest, darkest hole. But I promise you there will be light. Reach out if you. If you need that support," she said.

She is known for using spoons to teach others about chronic illness and the limits they face for every day tasks.

“The idea that for a normal person to have a shower, it would cost perhaps one spoon, but for an individual with a chronic illness or another invisible struggle such as a mental health issue or like neurodiversity, that would take 10 spoons. And it's the idea that these invisible barriers to limitations that prevent people from being able to do tasks normally," she said.

Bella was diagnosed with COVID-19 in February 2023. By May, her symptoms had worsened, and she was diagnosed with long COVID-19.

"Chest pain, body aches, stiffness, another really bad one for me was nausea and loss of appetite, which literally crushed my soul because I just couldn't. I didn't want to eat anything for like months on end."

Bella has to be careful with how she spends her spoons making it hard for her to hold down a job. 

“It has changed the course of my life in the sense of I don't know when I'm going to be able to have a normal job if I'm ever going to be able to have a normal job. And I know there are people that go on to recover 100%. And I do feel myself getting better each month. But it's still a very slow process," she said.