This month marks six years since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic.
Millions of people around the world have developed Long Covid. Studies suggest that around 6% of people who have had COVID-19 go on to experience long-term symptoms.1
Over the past six years, researchers have been trying to answer two big questions:
- Why does this happen?
- How can we treat it?
In a recent episode of the Make Visible podcast, we spoke with researchers and clinicians about progress so far. The picture is mixed: we’ve learned a lot, but treatments are still limited. The quotes in this blog are drawn from those conversations.
How far we’ve come
Research into Long Covid has grown quickly.
Researchers around the world are joining forces to study Long Covid. Experts in the brain, immune system, nervous system and many other fields are working together, helping scientific progress move faster than ever.
"We've come an awfully long way," says Dr Binita Kane, Consultant Respiratory Physician and Founder of The Long Covid Clinic. "There are some incredible researchers out there."
Researchers have a few main ideas about what might be causing Long Covid, including:
- the virus staying in the body for longer than expected
- the immune system becoming overactive
- other viruses in the body becoming active again
- changes to gut health
None of these ideas have been ruled out, but there isn’t one clear answer yet.
Why aren’t there any approved treatments yet?
Even though understanding has moved forward, there are still very few approved treatments.
One reason is funding. Many researchers say there isn’t enough investment to move quickly from research into treatments.
"I think the frustration for patients is that it is not translating fast enough into treatments, and that's just a direct result of a lack of investment from governments," says Dr Kane. "We've got the scientists, we've got the researchers, we've got the patient community. We've got all the skills we need to do this, but it needs funding."
Another reason is that Long Covid is complex. It can affect many different parts of the body, and symptoms can vary widely from person to person. That means it’s very unlikely there will be one single cause or one single treatment. Professor Mark Faghy describes the body like a set of connected parts:
“What we’re trying to do is to understand the limitations of each of those cogs, how they’re being impacted, and how they’re working together or not working together,” he says.
What treatments are being tested?
As understanding has improved, researchers have begun testing different treatments. These include:
- drugs that affect the immune system
- low-dose medications used for pain or inflammation
- drugs that affect metabolism
- treatments that target the nervous system
Each approach is grounded in a different theory about what drives Long Covid. Most are still in small-scale studies, so we don't yet know which will work best, or for whom. But for the first time, multiple potential treatment paths are being explored in parallel, and that in itself is a significant step forward.
Building a clearer picture
In the early years of the pandemic, research was fast but scattered. Now, scientists are beginning to bring together the findings and identify where the gaps remain.
“It's a really good time to consolidate what we've learned,” says Faghy. “Where do we go next?”
There is also growing collaboration. New organizations are connecting researchers across borders, and teams are increasingly working together rather than in isolation. The German government has also committed half a billion euros over ten years for research into infection-associated conditions.
“I know there's a lot of activity happening globally at the minute to review where we are and shape the direction moving forward.” says Faghy.
This is starting to shift the field from isolated studies to a more connected, strategic research ecosystem.
Visible’s role
Alongside this, real-world patient data is playing an increasing role in research. Visible contributes by combining day-to-day symptom tracking with research data collection. More than 25,000 members have opted into research studies, contributing over 437 million data points and enabling large-scale analyses. The app is also being used in studies and clinical trials, including Professor Mark Faghy’s antiviral trial, to help track how patients are doing over time.
Looking forward
Six years is a long time to live with Long Covid. For many people, it has meant years without answers, treatment, or support.
But in research terms, this is still early. And in that time, our understanding has come a long way.
Researchers now have a clearer sense of what to investigate next, and how to move the field forward. That progress has only been possible because people living with Long Covid have continued to share their experiences, take part in research, and push for better understanding.
At Visible, we’re committed to being part of that progress, working towards a world where people living with Long Covid finally receive the care and support they deserve. We’re incredibly grateful to our members, and to the wider Long Covid community, for the role you continue to play in moving this forward.
To hear the full conversations with the researchers and clinicians quoted in this piece, listen to the Six Years of Long Covid episode of the Make Visible podcast.
