The prevalence of COVID infection globally means that the burden of Long COVID, even if affecting only a small proportion of the population, is substantial. There is a large body of evidence that shows viral persistence, cardiovascular pathology, neurocognitive effects and immune dysfunction arising from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Any of these can cause symptoms of Long COVID, such as fatigue, cognitive dysfunctions, orthostatic intolerance, and post-exertional malaise.
Another view of the non-specific symptoms characterising many cases of Long COVID is that these are largely "functional" or caused by factors such as pandemic-related anxiety, depression, PTSD and psychosocial stress. Such Long COVID cases, in this view, are amenable to treatment and cure with psycho-behavioural interventions and exercise.
Following the controversial PACE trial (Lancet, 2011) of cognitive behaviour therapy and graded exercise therapy for Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), some research into psycho-behavioural treatments for Long COVID has also been conducted. In this talk, Dr David Joffe will provide an overview of the biological basis of Long COVID, while Dr David Tuller will examine the basis of psycho-behavioural therapy focusing on the PACE trial and a major Long COVID trial.
| Dr David Joffe
David Joffe MBBS (Hons) PhD FRACP is a Sleep Respiratory Physician. He is a Visiting Medical Officer at Royal North Shore Hospital Sydney. He is the Vice Chair of the World Health Network Long Covid Experts Group and co-author of the multi-system involvement of Covid (Medical reviews 2024). Other papers include "Vascular Pathogenesis in Acute and Long COVID: Current Insights and Therapeutic Outlook". |
| Dr David Tuller David Tuller, DrPH, is a senior fellow in public health and journalism at the University of California, Berkeley's Center for Global Public Health. He was a reporter and editor at The San Francisco Chronicle and has written regularly about public health and medical issues for The New York Times, the policy journal Health Affairs, and other publications. Since 2015, his Trial by Error project has investigated scientific, methodological and ethical problems with research in the field of Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and, more recently, Long Covid. |
Opinions expressed by individuals at this event are solely of those of the individual/s and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the Kirby Institute or UNSW.