Got long Covid? UW Medicine wants to hear from you

Seattle is among a handful of cities chosen for studies to evaluate long-Covid therapies.

University of Washington Medicine announced Wednesday it will conduct the first two clinical trials to study long Covid for the National Institutes of Health. The clinical trials are part of the NIH RECOVER Initiative (RECOVER stands for Researching Covid to Enhance Recovery).

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Some people who have had Covid-19 may experience long-term impacts from the infection. For some, the condition's symptoms can last months or even years. UW Medicine reports that symptoms can vary, but some of the most commonly reported problems include fatigue, brain fog, low physical endurance, trouble with problem-solving, and memory lapses.

Dr. Helen Chu will lead the research team. Chu is an expert in communicable respiratory diseases and is a professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine.

Researchers expect the trials to last until December. They plan to enroll 315 total participants across all study sites in the U.S. The UW team will enroll 25 participants and then continue to enroll more people until the nationwide goal of 315 participants is met.

Several studies will be conducted nationwide to assess potential therapies, including drugs, and even medical devices to help alleviate long Covid symptoms. Anyone interested in the clinical trials can learn more by sending an email to uwrecoverstudy@uw.edu.

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