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Community urged to help fight against Long COVID

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With limited research into Long COVID and no current cure or treatment, Murdoch University’s world-leading investigators at the Australian National Phenome Centre (ANPC) are asking for the community’s help in the fight against the debilitating condition.

Sufferers of Long COVID are invited to attend a two-hour online conversation on Wednesday June 1 designed to direct future research into treatments and publicly accessible information.

People who have had COVID and ongoing complications including new onset diabetes, chronic fatigue, atherosclerosis, and heart diseases are also encouraged to attend.

The conversation will be led by Pro Vice Chancellor of Health Sciences and ANPC Director, Professor Jeremy Nicholson, who is encouraging ‘long hauler’ sufferers to sign-up.

“We are calling on individuals from across Western Australia and Australia to share their personal stories about their experience with COVID-19,” Professor Nicholson said.

If you are currently suffering, or have suffered from lingering brain fog, extreme fatigue, heart and breathing complications, and joint pain amongst other lasting symptoms – we want to hear from you.”

Long COVID is the debilitating aftermath of COVID, which leaves sufferers feeling unwell three months after contracting the initial infection.

Professor Nicholson advised that Long COVID is complicated because it has numerous components and can express itself in different ways.

“The disease can be found in multiple organs including the brain, kidneys and even the intestine.”

“When your body fights COVID, the immune processes can cause a systemic effect which can persist for months,” said Professor Nicholson.

The discussion is a rare opportunity to hear from some of the world’s leading researchers into Long COVID and will provide invaluable information and direct current, and future investigations, into improving future care.

“This knowledge will bring us one step closer to identifying barriers, both medical and broader socio-economic factors, that prevent sufferers from recovering,” Professor Nicholson said.

“It will also give us an in-depth understanding of our healthcare system and its approach to Long COVID management.

We will then use this knowledge to provide information to the public on the risks associated with Long COVID, provide management guides to health care professionals, improve Long COVID care and provide in-depth tailored personalised therapy treatments for patients.”

Professor Nicholson said although there can’t be a one-size-fits-all approach to treatment, his mission at the ANPC was to help sufferers manage Long COVID.

“There is no single-approach to curing COVID, or how long a person will take to recover,” he said.

“Our mission at the ANPC is to get a better understanding of what Long COVID is and improve the care and management of sufferers.

“If you want your experience to be heard by leading researchers, attend this session.”

The community discussion will be held on Wednesday June 1 2022, 6pm to 8pm (AWST). Attendees must register online before May 27 and will then be contacted by organisers.

An honorarium of $70 will be paid to those who attend.

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Community urged to help fight against Long COVID

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