Long COVID is a new disease with many unanswered questions. This uncertainty creates huge challenges for patients and clinicians. 

To date, more than £50 million of government funding has been invested in long COVID research projects.  The bulk of this (£39.2 million) has been awarded to 19 projects commissioned through two specific calls. The calls were led by the NIHR, the first jointly with UKRI. Projects examine the underlying mechanisms of long COVID, investigate symptoms such as ‘brain fog’ and breathlessness, and test possible treatments. They explore whether NHS services, such as long COVID clinics, meet people’s needs, and look at what people can do to optimise their own recovery. 

This portfolio is complemented by research funded through other routes. These projects consider long COVID in people admitted to hospital, for example, and rehabilitation after infection. The NIHR’s 19 studies are trying to answer some of the most urgent questions.