Francis Collins will uphold a model of SARS-CoV-2 at the U.S. Senate Disposals Subcommittee Hearing in Washington, DC, July 2, 2020. [Photo/Agencies]
WASHINGTON – The United States has launched a major new campaign to examine the long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and the methods of prevention and treatment of individuals who are ill with COVID-19, but who are not. not getting over it altogether a long time.
The initiative, announced by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) Tuesday, aims to learn more about how SARS-CoV-2 can lead to such widespread and persistent symptoms, and develop ways to treat these conditions. treat or prevent.
Large numbers of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 continue to experience a constellation of symptoms far beyond the time they experienced beyond the initial levels of COVID-19 disease.
Often referred to as “Long COVID,” these symptoms, which may include muscle weakness, shortness of breath, “brain fog,” sleep disorders, fever, gastrointestinal symptoms, anxiety , and depression, last for months and can range from mild to incompetent, according to the NIH.
In some cases, new symptoms arise well after the course of the disease or develop over time.
“While they are still unexplained, these effects can be collectively termed as Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection,” said NIH Director Francis Collins.
“The extent of the problem is not yet known, but with the number of people of all ages who have been or will be infected with SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, the impact of public health could be profound, “he said.
The new study addresses issues such as the number of people still receiving symptoms of COVID-19 after SARS-CoV-2 infectious disease; the main biological cause of these prolonged symptoms; why some people are vulnerable to this but others are not; and whether SARS-CoV-2 infection triggers changes in the body that increase the risk of other conditions.
“Through this initiative, we aim to learn more about how SARS-CoV-2 can lead to such widespread and persistent symptoms, and develop ways to treat or prevent these conditions,” Collins said.
Results from the largest global study of the emerging “Long COVID syndrome”, reported in January, show that nearly half of more than 3,700 “Long Haulers” could not self-explain COVID in 56 countries operating full-time six months after unexpected development of prolonged symptoms of COVID-19.
A small percentage of respondents appeared to have kicked back from short strokes of Long COVID, although time will tell whether they have completely recovered, according to the NIH.