Long COVID: Boston Hospitals Seek Participants in Study

Six Boston-area hospital are joining a national effort to study long COVID, a condition in which patients suffer from symptoms for weeks, months, and even years after initial infection.

A recent study estimates there are upwards of 23 million Americans who have experienced long COVID, a catch-all term for roughly 200 symptoms ranging from memory issues, brain fog, fatigue to chest pains.

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Now a group of local hospitals are looking for participants to help in the nationwide effort to find some answers, including Beth Israel Deaconess, Massachusetts General Hospital, Tufts Medical Center, Cambridge Health Alliance, Boston Medical Center and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

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For some people who get COVID-19, their symptoms linger over time; a Boston scientist is hoping to learn more about what causes long-haul COVID and how it can be treated.

Researchers are seeking 900 patients in the Boston-area and 17,000 patients nationwide for the RECOVER study. Those interested in participating can visit the Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery website.

The goal is to gain a better understanding of how many people are affected by long COVID, how many people develop new symptoms and why some people develop it while others do not.

Additionally, scientists hope to find out whether a COVID infection can trigger changes in the body that increase the risk of other conditions, such as chronic lung, heart, or brain disorders.