Reporting on Long COVID in Mexico Sparks Students' Discussions About Global Health Care

Yesenia Lisette Munoz is a science teacher at San Marcos High School in Santa Barbara, California. Munoz created the lesson plan “COVID-19 and the Long-Term Impact on the Nervous System” as part of the fall 2025 Pulitzer Center Teacher Fellowship “Examining Interconnected Health Inequities Through Global Reporting,” reaching 83 students.

At the conclusion of the Fellowship, Munoz shared the following reflections on her experience developing and teaching the lesson.

What is the focus of your lesson plan, and why did you write this lesson for your community?

My name is Yesenia Munoz and I am a teacher at San Marcos High School, located in Santa Barbara, CA. I teach courses in the Science, Health Careers Academy, and AVID department. Prior to working as an educator, I worked as a registered nurse. Combining my passion for health and education, I currently teach a course called Biomedical Sciences 100 for the Health Careers Academy for students in grades 9th - 12th grade. Many of the students in my class are in the Health Careers Academy. This is a program for students that are interested in pursuing a career in the medical field. Given this, when creating this lesson plan, I made sure to incorporate important aspects that would be beneficial for students to learn who are interested in pursuing a career in the medical field. This allows students to learn about topics they are interested in and how it will be beneficial to their future careers as a health care professional.“

"I definitely think it's important to read underreported stories, especially in the context of global health. A lot of systemic health problems worldwide result from a lack of resources, and journalism has the potential to bring light to these issues and thus broader advocacy."

— Student, San Marcos High School

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How did you build this lesson with your community in mind?

The lesson focused on connecting the nervous system with Covid-19. I chose to focus on this lesson because it is important for students to understand that while we may no longer be in the Covid-19 pandemic it is still crucial to understand the long term effects that may be associated with the Covid. This is also important to consider the lasting impacts that Covid-19 has had on many communities and on the people who live in these places. Many of my students do come from Hispanic backgrounds and may relate to the stories presented in this reporting. This is valuable for my students as many of them will become health care professionals as early as next year when they complete the CNA program offered at the high school. Therefore, there is immense value in having the students learn about global health as they will be a part of the health care profession.

What did your students learn while engaging with this lesson?

The students developed the skills of health literacy and understanding the various reports. The student took the opportunity to learn about the impact of long-covid on the nervous system. The students gained experiences in researching more about the disease and using critical thinking to understand the impact this disease has on the nervous system. Students also learned about how this disease is affecting other communities abroad such as the communities in Mexico. Students learned to make connections about the health care system in the U.S. and also in Mexico. One of my students highlights the importance of this by stating “I definitely think it's important to read underreported stories, especially in the context of global health. A lot of systemic health problems worldwide result from a lack of resources, and journalism has the potential to bring light to these issues and thus broader advocacy.”

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What did you learn by creating and teaching this lesson?

From this lesson, I have gained a deeper understanding of global health and how it is important to incorporate lessons around it in my classroom. Creating this lesson allows me to think about how to connect the topics around the nervous system and how it relates to diseases such as COVID-19. My biggest take away is making sure to relate this article back to the topics discussed in the class so students can see tangible connections. My advice for other educators who want to engage in this lesson is to allow a safe space for student questions, discussion, and reflection the helps build on health literacy and encourages critical thinking. Finally, staying flexible and open to new research is essential, especially when teaching topics related to evolving global health challenges especially around the impact that long COVID is having in our communities.

(PDF below)

(Example of student-created infographics about long COVID from Yesenia Lisette Munoz’s high school science class in Santa Barbara, California. Image from Yesenia Lisette Munoz. United States. 2025.)