Covid-19 News and Discussions

[Yommie]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/astra-zeneca-covid-vaccine-1.7198111

AstraZeneca withdraws its vaccine to protect against COVID-19 worldwide​

More than 3 billion doses of the vaccine supplied during early stage of pandemic​

CBC News · Posted: May 08, 2024 5:58 PM EDT | Last Updated: 32 minutes ago

A vial with AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine is pictured in Berlin, in 2021. The company says demand for the vaccine declined as updated competitors became available. (Hannibal Hanschke/Reuters)

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AstraZeneca says it is withdrawing Vaxzevria, its vaccine to protect against COVID-19, from global markets. The vaccine was used early on in the pandemic in many countries, including Canada.
In an update on the European Medicines Agency's website on Wednesday, the regulator said that the approval for Vaxzevria had been withdrawn "at the request of the marketing authorization holder."
More than three billion doses of the vaccine have been supplied since it first was administered in the United Kingdom in January 2021.
AstraZeneca said as multiple vaccines against newer variants of the pandemic coronavirus have been developed, there is a surplus. Demand for Vaxzevria declined and the company said it is no longer being manufactured or supplied.
Dr. Samir Gupta, a respirologist at St Michael's Hospital in Toronto, said what's important is that the creation of the AstraZeneca vaccine, testing, roll out, discovery of complications and stopping of vaccine distribution played out as it should for a new pandemic virus.
WATCH | Spring 2024 COVID vaccine dose criteria:

Age still best determines when to get COVID vaccines, new research suggests​

2 months ago
Duration1:59
It's been four years since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, and new research suggests your age may determine how often you should get a booster shot.
According to media reports, AstraZeneca previously admitted in court documents that the vaccine can cause rare side-effects such as blood clots and low blood platelet counts.
"Ultimately we can't forget that the virus is worse than the vaccine, even with this complication," Gupta said in an interview on CBC News Network.

• Do you need a spring COVID-19 vaccine? Research backs extra round for high-risk groups

AstraZeneca's application to withdraw the vaccine was made on March 5 and came into effect on May 7, according to the Telegraph, which first reported the development.
The Serum Institute of India (SII), which produced AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine under the brand name Covishield, stopped manufacturing and supply of the doses since December 2021, an SII spokesperson said.

 

[Yommie]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/high-risk-albertans-covid-vaccine-1.7195855

High-risk Albertans urged to get another vaccine dose as COVID-19 cases ticking up​

Seniors and immunocompromised Albertans eligible for additional XBB.1.5 dose​

Jennifer Lee · CBC News · Posted: May 07, 2024 7:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: May 7

This is a transmission electron micrograph of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles within a heavily infected nasal cell. (NIAID)

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After trending downward for several months, COVID-19 is on the upswing in Alberta once again.
The province's respiratory virus dashboard shows a number of key indicators, including case counts, hospitalization numbers and positivity rates, are ticking up.
"Many jurisdictions in Canada have seen a slight bump in late April in the number of COVID cases, the positivity rate and also in their wastewater monitoring," said Dr. Dan Gregson, an infectious diseases specialist in the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary.
There are likely a number of factors at play, he said.
"It's a combination of waning immunity and the virus becoming more transmissible and escaping your immune system that's been adapted to the prior strain."
The latest data from Alberta Health shows 114 people hospitalized with SARS CoV-2, an increase of more than two dozen in two weeks. Six patients are in intensive care.
At the University of Alberta Hospital, infectious diseases physician Dr. Stephanie Smith said the latest uptick isn't translating into a spike in severe COVID cases, but she is seeing a clear trend.
"What we are seeing is we have people being admitted for other things and then becoming infected with COVID in the hospital because of visitors or sharing a room," she said.
"Most of them are not getting severely ill. Obviously there are exceptional cases of patients that are severely immunocompromised that can get severe disease. But we do have treatments to try and prevent disease from becoming severe for those that pick up COVID in the hospital."
According to Smith, that's exacerbated by the strain on hospitals and overcrowding.

• 'Contrarian' doctor a good choice to lead COVID-19 data review, Alberta premier says
• Alberta is bringing in more rapid COVID-19 tests as millions destined to be tossed

"We are so overcapacity in our hospitals, and that means patients are being put into hallways, and we have three people in rooms that are designed for two people, and that makes it really hard to prevent the spread of infection," said Smith.
"I would say that's probably our biggest challenge right now and why we're seeing transmission."
The Alberta Health Services website shows seven hospitals were reporting COVID-19 outbreaks as of April 30.
An enhanced masking directive, designed to prevent COVID-19 transmission, is no longer in place in AHS facilities.
Smith said many health workers on the wards where she works still wear masks routinely.
The province's COVID-19 death toll continues to rise. A total of 552 Albertan's have died due to the illness since Aug. 27, according to publicly available data.

Know your risk​

Both doctors are urging Albertans to know their level of risk for severe disease and plan their immunizations accordingly.
"The important thing is for people who are high risk to really make sure that their vaccine is up to date. That's the easiest thing to do," said Gregson.
"If you're really high risk and you're going to places where there's lots of people, you can mask to reduce your risk."
High-risk Albertans — including seniors, immunocompromised individuals and First Nations, Metis and Inuit people — became eligible for additional doses of the XBB.1.5 vaccine on April 15, if it's been six months since their last shot.
According to Gregson, while COVID transmission dropped for a number of months, it never went away.
"We have constant background noise that's occurring all the time and then we have waves. The last big wave was in the fall of 2023.… Whether or not over the summer that goes down to zero or not, we'll wait and see," he said.
"It would be nice to have a break from this."

 

[Yommie]

AstraZeneca withdrawn worldwide over side effects​

 

[Yommie]

Documents say COVID leaked from lab: Congressman | NewsNation Now​

 

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Isabel Oakeshott "Regrets" Having Covid Jabs During Pandemic​

 

[Yommie]

Lawmaker says classified documents prove COVID lab leak theory | NewsNation Now​

 

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New COVID variants appearing across the US as cases trend downward​

 

[Yommie]

Respiratory Virus Report, Week 17 - ending April 27, 2024 - Canada.ca

Respiratory Virus Detection Surveillance System data from Canadian laboratories on the number of tests, and positive tests, for influenza and other respiratory viruses.

www.canada.ca

Respiratory Virus Report, Week 17 - ending April 27, 2024​

Organization: Public Health Agency of Canada
Please note that the Respiratory Virus Detection Surveillance System (RVDSS) is a sentinel laboratory surveillance system that does not capture all respiratory virus testing performed in Canada; differences may exist between the data presented in this report and provincial/territorial epidemiological reports. SARS-CoV-2 laboratory data is included in this report to facilitate the comparison of positivity with other respiratory viruses. Interpretation should be made with caution as testing practices differ among viruses.
For additional SARS-CoV-2 surveillance information, please refer to the COVID-19 epidemiology update.

Overall summary​

In week 17 (week ending April 27, 2024) in Canada, percent positivity is currently highest for enterovirus/rhinovirus among respiratory viruses under surveillance. The following results were reported from RVDSS laboratories:

• Following several months of decrease, national SARS-CoV-2 percent positivity is currently stable (1,418 detections; 5.5% positive) and below the most recent peak recorded in November 2023 (19.3% positive).
• Influenza percent positivity is decreasing (1,523 detections; 5.9% positive) as percent positivity has decreased in recent weeks for both influenza A (300 detections; 1.2% positive) and influenza B (1,223 detections; 4.7% positive).
• RSV percent positivity is stable (321 detections; 1.4% positive).
• Percent positivity of all other non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viruses is near expected levels typical of this time of year.
  • Percent positivity of enterovirus/rhinovirus is increasing (361 detections; 11.1% positive), typical of this time of year.
• 33/35 sentinel laboratories reported surveillance data

 

[Yommie]

Respiratory Virus Report, Week 18 - ending May 4, 2024 - Canada.ca

Respiratory Virus Detection Surveillance System data from Canadian laboratories on the number of tests, and positive tests, for influenza and other respiratory viruses.

www.canada.ca

Respiratory Virus Report, Week 18 - ending May 4, 2024​

Organization: Public Health Agency of Canada
Please note that the Respiratory Virus Detection Surveillance System (RVDSS) is a sentinel laboratory surveillance system that does not capture all respiratory virus testing performed in Canada; differences may exist between the data presented in this report and provincial/territorial epidemiological reports. SARS-CoV-2 laboratory data is included in this report to facilitate the comparison of positivity with other respiratory viruses. Interpretation should be made with caution as testing practices differ among viruses.
For additional SARS-CoV-2 surveillance information, please refer to the COVID-19 epidemiology update.

Overall summary​

In week 18 (week ending May 4, 2024) in Canada, percent positivity is currently highest for enterovirus/rhinovirus among respiratory viruses under surveillance. The following results were reported from RVDSS laboratories:

• After reaching a low in early-April 2024 (4.7% positive), national SARS-CoV-2 percent positivity is showing early signs of increase (1,759 detections; 6.5% positive). Trends currently vary by region.
• Influenza percent positivity is decreasing (1,334 detections; 5.2% positive) as percent positivity has decreased in recent weeks for both influenza A (278 detections; 1.1% positive) and influenza B (1,056 detections; 4.1% positive).
• RSV percent positivity is stable (293 detections; 1.3% positive).
• Percent positivity of all other non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viruses is near expected levels typical of this time of year.
• 35/35 sentinel laboratories reported surveillance data

 

[Yommie]

HPE health unit reports 10 new high-risk COVID-19 cases

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health officials reported 10 new high-risk cases as of May 8 in the region.

www.intelligencer.ca

HPE health unit reports 10 new high-risk COVID-19 cases​

Author of the article:
Derek Baldwin
Published May 09, 2024 • 1 minute read

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Hastings Prince Edward Public Health officials reported 10 new high-risk cases as of May 8 in the region. POSTMEDIA

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Hastings Prince Edward Public Health officials reported 10 new high-risk cases as of May 8 in the region.

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The health unit also reported 10 active high-risk cases.

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There were no new deaths attributed to COVID-19 leaving the number of deaths since the pandemic to 150 in the region.



The average hospitalization rate at QHC hospitals due to COVID-19 was three persons.



One patient is listed in the Intensive Care Unit.



There is one outbreak compared to no recent outbreaks in high-risk settings.



The percentage of COVID-19 vaccination rates completed by residents recorded by the health unit was 81 per cent with 11 per cent receiving a jab in the last six months.



Across Canada, meanwhile, latest COVID-19 case numbers as of May 7 showed a total of 4.95 million cases have been recorded since the pandemic began, an increase of 1,769 cases.



Nationally, there were 59,322 deaths recorded since the pandemic began to date linked to COVID-19 with 44 new deaths recorded.



There were 25,869 weekly tests reported across Canada with 5.5 per cent positivity.

 

[Yommie]

Opioid Addiction Medication Could Bring Relief to Long COVID Patients

Researchers have identified a way to restore the function of faulty ion channels on immune cells using the addiction medication naltrexone. This offers hope for alleviating various long COVID symptoms, including brain fog and muscle fatigue.

www.technologynetworks.com

Opioid Addiction Medication Could Bring Relief to Long COVID Patients​

Naltrexone offers hope for alleviating various long COVID symptoms, including brain fog and muscle fatigue.​

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Published: May 9, 2024
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Blake Forman
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Long COVID has become a major public health issue, with 37% of individuals reporting one or more long COVID symptoms in the 3 to 6 months after their COVID-19 diagnosis.

Symptoms of long COVID can include brain fog, muscle fatigue and issues with the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems. There is currently no universal treatment for long COVID but new findings from researchers at Griffith University’s National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases (NCNED) suggest that the addiction medication naltrexone (NTX) could bring relief to those struggling with long COVID.

The findings were published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology.
Continue Reading Below...
Article

Are Monoclonal Antibodies the Future of Long COVID Treatments?​

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A promising treatment for chronic fatigue​

The study builds on previous research that showed long COVID patients share similar issues with immune cell ion channels as those with chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis or ME/CFS.

ME/CFS etiology has been associated with immune system dysfunction, reduced natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxic activity, impaired calcium mobilization and transient receptor potential melastatin 3 (TRPM3) ion channel dysfunction.

TRPM3 is a non-selective ion channel highly permeable to calcium ions and broadly expressed in the human body. The contribution of TRPM3 in the regulatory function of calcium ion homeostasis is vital to processes such as cell signaling. TRP ion channels may also facilitate host–viral interactions through calcium ion regulation and may promote viral pathogenesis during SARS-CoV-2 infection.

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Past research has shown that NTX is beneficial as a pharmacological intervention for ME/CFS patients with experimental investigations showing it to restore TRPM3 function in NK cells.

Given the link between ME/CFS and long COVID, the researchers set out to validate impaired ion channel function in long COVID patients compared with ME/CFS. They also investigated the effects of naltrexone on these ion channels.

What is naltrexone?​

Naltrexone is an FDA-approved opioid antagonist used to treat alcohol use disorder and opioid dependence. It is a μ-opioid receptor antagonist that negates the inhibitory function on TRPM3 ion channels.

The investigation confirmed impaired TRPM3 function in NK cells from long COVID and ME/CFS patients. This consequently results in disturbed calcium signaling and cell homeostasis in both diseases. These findings provide further evidence identifying similarities of TRPM3 ion channel dysfunction between ME/CFS and long COVID patients.

The study also reports, for the first time, that TRPM3 ion channel activity was restored in NK cells isolated from long COVID patients after in vitro treatment with NTX facilitating calcium influx for intracellular signaling pathways.

The authors state: “This investigation proposes NTX as a potential therapeutic intervention and TRPM3 as a treatment biomarker for post COVID-19 condition.”

The NCNED is now preparing to launch two clinical trials, one for long COVID and another for ME/CFS, testing the effectiveness of low-dose NTX. The drug has shown promising results in restoring ion channel function in previous research and anecdotal reports from patients.

“We will be undertaking two clinical trials testing the efficacy of low dose naltrexone where the first will be in Long COVID patients while the second trial will, for the first time, be in ME/CFS patients,” said Professor Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik, senior author and director of NCNED.

“Should these trials prove successful, it could mean a vastly improved quality of life for countless individuals struggling with Long COVID and ME/CFS.”

 

[Yommie]

https://www.king5.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/four-years-since-covid-many-seniors-still-struggling/281-26cea830-4f0d-41a2-a46e-e628ac3c4f2c

'Things are never gonna be the same': Four years since COVID, many seniors are still struggling​

Mental health issues continue to plague our older population. A Snohomish County service organization is providing life-saving help.

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Author: Eric Wilkinson
Published: 6:01 PM PDT May 9, 2024
Updated: 6:01 PM PDT May 9, 2024

EVERETT, Wash. — As the coronavirus pandemic forced Jackie McCoy to isolate for two full years, she ruminated on one solitary thought.
"Things are never gonna be the same."
For McCoy, they're not. She is predisposed to contracting sickle cell anemia.
Exposure to any COVID variant could kill her. She slipped into a worrisome depression.

"It's been horrible," she said. "Absolutely horrible."
More than four years since America's first COVID-19 case was documented in Snohomish County, McCoy, 62, is still suffering.
She has anxiety about contracting the virus and trauma from all that time spent in lockdown.
"You're always in the back of your mind thinking, is it gonna happen again?" she frets.
The National Coalition on Aging reports that 30% of American adults are still experiencing mental health struggles from the pandemic. May of them are seniors. The good news is that 71% are willing to seek help.
"When people get depressed, they just tend to give up," says mental health counselor Nancy Brosemer.
She works with Homage Senior Services.
Homage is the only organization in Snohomish County offering free mental health counseling to anyone 60 and over, regardless of income.
Last year alone, Homage counselors helped 752 seniors.
Brosemer explains unaddressed trauma -- like isolation and losing loved ones -- can have lasting effects, even premature death.
"I want there to be more communication," she says. "Pay attention to what's going on. If your loved one stops socializing and withdraws, that can be a sign of depression. We need to pay attention to that."
Thursday, Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers announced the county is investing $1.4 million of its federal American Rescue Plan Act funding into programs that address equity, isolation, and food access among older adults.
A recent Snohomish County survey found older adults in the county have been disproportionately affected by pandemic impacts, particularly regarding financial stability, access to care and food security.
According to the survey, 12% are struggling with housing payments, 23% rely on a caregiver and 25% use food assistance during the pandemic.

Homage offers five free mental health counseling sessions and works to connect seniors with longer-term care.
McCoy and Brosemer meet once per month. For her, it has been a godsend.
"I can tell her things I can't tell my family," she chuckles.
Things may never be the same in a post-COVID world for McCoy, but now she knows she's not alone.
"If you don't get help, you'll be stuck, and you'll just feel sorry for yourself," she says.
Homage runs a senior access line staffed by counselors at 425-290-1260. A confidential depression screening is available on their website. You can also contact counselors through [email protected].

 

[Yommie]

Quinte Health reinstating nurses fired during COVID-19 pandemic

Nurses dismissed by Quinte Health for refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19 during the pandemic are being rehired as ruled by an arbitrator Feb. 29.

www.intelligencer.ca

Quinte Health reinstating nurses fired during COVID-19 pandemic​

Author of the article:
Derek Baldwin
Published May 09, 2024 • 2 minute read

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Nurses dismissed by Quinte Health for refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19 during the pandemic are being rehired as ruled by an arbitrator Feb. 29.

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James Jayes, sole arbitrator, said in his ruling penned in British Columbia the nine nurses who were fired in 2022 were not given the option of choosing to take a leave of absence.

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But, Jayes also ruled when the Quinte Health policy was introduced in 2021, “the hospital acted reasonably in introducing a mandatory vaccination requirement.”



Quinte Health confirmed to The Intelligencer at least four of the nurses have already been hired back with more set to be reinstated.



“As you know, the arbitrator concluded that Quinte Health did the right thing in introducing a mandatory vaccination requirement, but disagreed with dismissal actions and noted RNs impacted by the policy must be reinstated as employees if that be their wish,” said Catherine Walker, Quinte Health manager of communications and community relations.

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“Working with our union partners, we have offered those unionized staff members impacted by the policy the opportunity to return. At this time, four RNs have accepted the offer to be reinstated at Quinte Health, with other staff to be confirmed in the coming weeks.”



In his decision in February, Jayes noted: “I find that the automatic termination of non-compliant nurses was unreasonable. They should have been placed on unpaid leaves of absence. They should have been offered the option of an unpaid leave of absence and must, therefore, be reinstated as Quinte employees if that be their wish.”



The ruling was handed down after arbitration between Quinte Health and unionized nurses belonging to the Ontario Nurses’ Association from mid-2023 and January 2024.

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Quinte Health employs 600 nurses at its four hospitals in Belleville, Trenton, Picton and Bancroft caering for an estimated 180,000 people in its catchment area, according to the ruling.



The dismissal of the nurses in 2022 followed the termination of 30 employees by Quinte Health in October 2021 as part of the vaccination policy, dismissals that were not addressed in Jaye’s ruling.



An Intelligencer story Oct. 18, 2021, reported the healthcare corporation issued a statement advising the 30 employees were let go because they “had chosen not to comply with the policy by either deciding not to provide information on their vaccination status or deciding not to get the vaccine.”

 

[Yommie]

Collingwood hospital announces COVID outbreak in medical unit

The outbreak has prompted visitor restrictions to that unit

www.collingwoodtoday.ca

Collingwood hospital announces COVID outbreak in medical unit​

The outbreak has prompted visitor restrictions to that unit
CollingwoodToday Staffabout 5 hours ago

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Collingwood General and Marine HospitalErika Engel/CollingwoodToday
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NEWS RELEASE
COLLINGWOOD GENERAL AND MARINE HOSPITAL
***********************

In collaboration with the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) a COVID-19 outbreak has been declared on Collingwood General & Marine Hospital’s (CGMH) medical unit.
All patients on the unit have been swabbed, impacted patients have been isolated, and enhanced cleaning measures have been implemented.
Visitor restrictions are in place for the medical unit except in the case of palliative end-of-life patients and essential caregivers who have been approved by the department manager or resource nurse.
The medical unit remains open to patient admissions at this time.

 

[Yommie]

NIH to open long COVID clinical trials to study sleep disturbances, exercise intolerance, and post exertional malaise

Part of the NIH RECOVER Initiative, trials will test four treatments.

www.nih.gov

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

NIH to open long COVID clinical trials to study sleep disturbances, exercise intolerance, and post exertional malaise​

Part of the NIH RECOVER Initiative, trials will test four treatments.

People 18 years of age and older who are interested in learning more about these trials can visit trials.RECOVERCovid.org(link is external) or ClinicalTrials.gov and search identifiers NCT06404047, NCT06404060, NCT06404073, NCT06404086, NCT06404099, NCT06404112. Please do not contact the NIH media phone number or email to enroll in these trials.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will launch clinical trials to investigate potential treatments for long-term symptoms after COVID-19 infection, including sleep disturbances, exercise intolerance and the worsening of symptoms following physical or mental exertion known as post-exertional malaise (PEM). The mid-stage trials, part of NIH’s Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) Initiative, will join six other RECOVER studies currently enrolling participants across the United States testing treatments to address viral persistence, neurological symptoms, including cognitive dysfunction (like brain fog) and autonomic nervous system dysfunction. The new trials will enroll approximately 1,660 people across 50 study sites to investigate potential treatments for some of the most frequent and burdensome symptoms reported by people suffering from long COVID.

“The group of symptoms these trials will try to alleviate are truly disruptive and devastating for so many people struggling with long COVID,” said Walter J. Koroshetz, M.D., director of NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and co-lead of the RECOVER Initiative. “When people can’t get reliable sleep, can’t exert themselves and feel sick following tasks that used to be simple, the physical and mental anguish can lead to feelings of utter helplessness. We urgently need to come up with answers to help those struggling with long COVID feel whole again.”

RECOVER-SLEEP clinical trials will soon begin enrolling participants and include:​

• A trial to test two drugs (modafinil and solriamfetol) approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat people who have problems staying awake during the day, known as hypersomnia. These medications are well-known but have not been studied widely in people with long COVID. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either the active study drug or a placebo control for eight to 10 weeks, depending on the assigned study drug.
• A trial to test potential treatments for complex sleep disturbances due to long COVID, including melatonin, an over-the-counter supplement commonly used to treat people with sleep disorders and general insomnia; and light therapy, which is used to help people reset their sleep cycles. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either melatonin or a placebo control, and either high-intensity (active) light therapy or low-intensity (placebo) light therapy for eight weeks.

RECOVER-ENERGIZE clinical trials will soon begin enrolling participants and include:​

• A trial to test a program that combines exercise training, strength and flexibility training, education, and social support, collectively known as personalized cardiopulmonary rehabilitation. The program is designed to help people who experience exercise intolerance with symptoms such as shortness of breath and fatigue during exercise after having COVID-19. All participants in RECOVER-ENERGIZE trials will be screened for PEM. Participants who are identified as having PEM, via a validated PEM questionnaire, will not be included in this trial. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either personalized cardiopulmonary rehabilitation or basic exercise education for three months.
• A trial to test a program known as structured pacing, which is designed to help participants with PEM identify, control, and minimize symptoms that developed after having COVID-19 by regulating or pacing their daily activities. Currently, structured pacing is the only intervention used to treat PEM. The trial will not include any exercise training or physical movement to protect participants from developing worsened symptoms of PEM. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either structured pacing with a trained coach or basic PEM education for three months.

All four trials were developed using comprehensive feedback from the community and in close partnership with patient representatives, whose insights were especially important for the PEM trial. The PEM trial was developed to address concerns expressed by patient advocacy groups about patient safety, and to better understand how this study program may help improve PEM symptoms.

“Structured pacing is currently the only intervention used to prevent post-exertional malaise, so we hope to test its effectiveness and determine how to best guide patients regarding activity management,” said Lucinda Bateman, M.D., an expert in PEM and founder of the Bateman Horne Center, Salt Lake City, a facility specializing in treating people with ME/CFS, long COVID and fibromyalgia.

Diversity among trial participants is a high priority for the RECOVER Initiative. To support diverse and inclusive representation, study sites are chosen based on geographic location, their connection to communities, and track record for enrolling diverse research participants. Teams at the selected study sites will recruit participants from their health systems and surrounding communities.

Sites currently activated for each trial can be found on ClinicalTrials.gov (RECOVER-SLEEP NCT06404086, NCT06404099, NCT06404112 and RECOVER-ENERGIZE NCT06404047, NCT06404060, NCT06404073). New sites will be added to clinicaltrials.gov as they begin enrolling participants.

With the launch of these four studies, RECOVER is currently testing 13 treatments across eight clinical trials and continues to enroll participants. Those interested in learning more about RECOVER clinical trials should visit trials.recovercovid.org(link is external).

About RECOVER: The National Institutes of Health Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (NIH RECOVER) Initiative brings together clinicians, scientists, caregivers, patients, and community members to understand, diagnose, and treat long COVID. RECOVER has created one of the largest and most diverse groups of long COVID study participants in the world. In addition, RECOVER clinical trials are testing potential interventions across five symptom focus areas. For more information, please visit recovercovid.org(link is external).

HHS Long COVID Coordination: This work is a part of the National Research Action Plan(link is external), a broader government-wide effort in response to the Presidential Memorandum(link is external) directing the Secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services to mount a full and effective response to long COVID. Led by Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Rachel Levine, the Plan and its companion Services and Supports for Longer-term Impacts of COVID-19 report(link is external) lay the groundwork to advance progress in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and provision of services for individuals experiencing long COVID.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.