Trial seeks treatment for long Covid sufferers

More than 70 people are taking part in the trial run by the University of Plymouth

Researchers in Plymouth are working on a project searching for an effective treatment for the symptoms of long Covid.

The University of Plymouth (UoP) said it was part of the ERASE long Covid project, led by the University of Derby, which launched in September 2024.

It said more than 144 million people globally were living with long Covid with some people experiencing fatigue, breathlessness, palpitations and brain fog.

The university said it was testing anti-viral medication, which is already used to treat patients with Covid-19 in hospital, on 72 long Covid sufferers to see if it could help alleviate their symptoms.

'Health and societal challenge'

The researchers said because most people who contracted Covid-19 were not hospitalised with the condition, they did not have a way to access the anti-viral medication.

But the study, managed by the Peninsula Clinical Trials Unit (PenCTU) at the university, would examine whether the medication could also alleviate the symptoms of long Covid.

Lead of the project, Mark Faghy, said: "The impact long Covid has on the lives of patients is huge.

"For many, it can be debilitating, interfering with work, family life, and socialising, and millions are suffering across the world. Yet, at present, there are no confirmed treatments for the condition.

"Five years on from the start of the pandemic, long Covid remains a significant health and societal challenge, which is why this project is so important."