A NEW study into Long Covid is seeking to compare experiences among people who known to have had the infection against people who have never tested positive.
The CISS study research, led by Glasgow University, will invite any adults on the NHS database known to have had Covid to answer a short series of questions about their health before and after the virus, and whether they are experiencing any lasting symptoms.
The invitations will be sent out by text message and if participants agree they will be sent a link to an app-based questionnaire.
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These same participants will be asked to repeat the questions again 12, 18 and then 24 months after their initial positive test, with some also asked to take part in one-to-one interviews.
A control group of people who have tested negative for Covid will also be recruited into the study and asked to respond to a similar set of questions.
Researchers want to gain a better understanding of the differences in long-term health between people with and without experience of Covid.
Dr Andrew McAuley, consultant scientist at Public Health Scotland, said: “Studies looking into the long-term effects of Covid-19 do already exist, but the majority are focused on patients who have been hospitalised, therefore only capturing a small number of the overall infections in the country.
“Crucially, this study will look at all Covid-19 positive cases irrespective of their initial symptoms, or whether they required any medical care during their illness.”
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There have been numerous reports worldwide of people taking a long time to recover from Covid, even if the original infection was mild.
Some have described debilitating symptoms such as extreme fatigue, pain, and brain fog, but it remains unclear why some people are worse affected than others and how many people overall are affected by Long Covid.
There is also uncertainty about how much symptoms overlap with chronic fatigue syndrome/ME.
Jill Pell, a professor of public health at Glasgow University who will lead the study, said: “Most people recover quickly and completely after infection with Covid-19, but some people have reported a wide variety of long-term problems.
“It is crucial that we find out how many people have long-term problems, and what those problems are, so that we can set up systems to spot problems early and deal with them effectively.”
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Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith said: “This new study will be a valuable tool to help us learn more about the effects of what is still a relatively new illness and ensure people receive the best possible treatment and care.
“If you are contacted to take part in the study I would strongly encourage you to participate.”
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