University at Buffalo researchers joined a legion of scientists from around the world in spring 2020 trying to get a handle on how to treat Covid-19.
As the infection’s strength has weakened and better treatments have evolved, most people have largely been able to return to their pre-pandemic lives – but not all of those with long Covid.
The UB medical school and its associated physicians group aim to help change that with the new UBMD Long Covid Recovery Center, which takes a holistic approach to treating patients with the lingering condition as its researchers continue to gather information about what causes it and what steps can provide the most relief.
“Right now, there are no diagnostic tests and zero proven treatments for long Covid,” said Dr. Sanjay Sethi, co-director of the new center. “These are challenging patients and our goal is to spend time with them, to find out what is going on and how we can help.
“Everybody realizes that there would be a phase in which we learn about this disease, the mechanisms, and then test potential treatments in a proper way,” said Sethi, professor and chief of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine with the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
“Ultimately,” he said, “that’s what’s going to change this.”
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines long Covid as “a wide range of new, returning, or ongoing health problems that people experience after being infected with the virus that causes Covid-19.”
More than 200 symptoms have been tied to the condition. Persistent fatigue, brain fog and depleted energy after even a minimal effort are the most frequent and prolonged among them, according to the World Health Organization.
The CDC estimates 18 million American adults have had long Covid. Its latest National Health Interview Survey, conducted last year, shows 6.9% of adults self-reported…
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