The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Major Scottish study aims to gauge Covid’s impact in long term
All Scots who have tested positive for Covid-19 will be invited to take part in a landmark long-covid study.
Led by Glasgow University, researchers plan to use an app to collect information from people who had the virus to see how many are still struggling.
The most common effects include extreme fatigue, breathlessness, and cognitive impairment, also known as brain fog.
Dundee doctor Tom Fardon, who has lived with long Covid for more than a year, has welcomed the “crucial” development.
He still suffers headaches and a highpitched ringing, tinnitus.
The respiratory specialist says the study should bring widespread benefits.
The 44-year-old said: “Having had long-lasting Covid-19 symptoms, I’ve struggled with whether they’ll get better and if so, how long it will take.
“My patients struggle the same and at the moment it’s very hard for me to give anything definite about recovery because we simply don’t know enough about this.
“We can only do that with quality research like this.”
A recent Uk-wide study found seven in 10 hospitalised Covid-19 patients had not fully recovered five months later.
And an estimated one in 20 people are likely to suffer symptoms for 8 weeks or more.
The Covid in Scotland Study (CISS) will use NHS health data records to contact all Scottish adults who tested positive. It is hoped this will reveal how many Scots are still unwell, their symptoms and the virus’s impact.
Professor Jill Pell, professor of public health at Glasgow University, said: “Most people recover quickly and completely after infection with Covid19, 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”
Those who participate will be asked questions about their health before and after their Covid-19 infection via the app.
Participants will then be asked to answer the same questions again 12, 18 and then 24 months after their initial positive test.
Glasgow University will lead the work in collaboration with Public Health Scotland and the NHS in Scotland.
It is being funded by the Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office.
Scotland’s chief medical officer Dr Gregor Smith said: “We recognise the longer term impacts Covid-19 is having on the physical and mental wellbeing of people in Scotland.
“Government, clinicians, specialist healthcare professionals and third sector organisations are working hard to ensure people have access to the support they need for assessment, diagnosis, care and rehabilitation in a setting that is as close to their home as possible.
“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 – your insight will be extremely valuable.”