Long Covid Research Advances Treatments for 65 Million Patients as Trials Test Antivirals, Anti-Inflammatories
Updated
Updated · New Scientist · Jan 31
Long Covid Research Advances Treatments for 65 Million Patients as Trials Test Antivirals, Anti-Inflammatories
3 articles · Updated · New Scientist · Jan 31
Summary
Around 65 million people worldwide may have long covid, and researchers say evidence on its causes is now accumulating fast enough to guide treatment development.
Multiple lines of evidence point to several mechanisms rather than one cause, including immune disruption, low morning cortisol, viral persistence and possibly blood microclots—supporting a personalized-medicine approach.
Trials are already testing that biology: Paxlovid and lab-made antibodies aim to clear lingering virus, while anti-inflammatory drugs such as methylprednisolone are being studied for cognitive symptoms.
Risk appears lower after omicron than delta—4.5% versus 11%—and higher in women, unvaccinated people and those with conditions such as asthma; metformin cut long-covid incidence to 6.3% from 10.4% in one study.
Researchers say no single blockbuster therapy is likely, arguing for a broader long-term push—including a proposed $10 billion decade-long effort—to tackle long covid and related post-infection illnesses.
With 200 symptoms and multiple causes, is a single 'cure' for Long COVID even possible?
As Long COVID disables millions, are our societies prepared for the coming economic and healthcare crisis?
If COVID causes such widespread chronic illness, what does this reveal about our vulnerability to other common viruses?
Long COVID in 2026: New Biological Insights, Patient Perspectives, and the Search for Effective Treatments
Overview
Recent research into Long COVID reveals that while many commonly used drugs offer only small benefits for fatigue, new studies are uncovering the disease’s underlying biological mechanisms. A major breakthrough shows that Long COVID is linked to injury of dopamine-releasing neurons in the brain, which helps explain persistent symptoms like severe fatigue, lack of motivation, slowed movement, and memory problems. This discovery highlights the urgent need for more effective treatments and opens the door to developing targeted therapies that address the specific neurological damage, offering hope for better outcomes in the future.