Despite the high number of people suffering from the condition, there are still many unknowns regarding long-term COVID. But a new study looking at mice has revealed the possible causes of long-lasting COVID and how best to fight it. The researchers found that the mice that survived had pulmonary fibrosis – or scarring of the lung tissue – as well as chronic inflammation in the lungs a few weeks after clearing the virus. Mice given an early dose of molnupiravir — one of three FDA-approved antivirals to treat COVID-19 — saw their disease and ongoing symptoms less severe. Although the results from mouse studies are not directly applicable to humans, “COVID-19 in mice and humans represent key findings that may prove translatable to other future emerging pathologies of coronavirus disease,” the authors wrote. The most recent data from the CDC found that nearly 1 in 5 American adults who previously had COVID-19 are experiencing symptoms of long-term COVID-19, which include fatigue, shortness of breath, brain fog, mental health problems, and more.
