COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and triggered a global pandemic beginning in 2020. Vaccines and antiviral treatments have reduced severe illness and death, but the virus continues to evolve and researchers are working on broader protections and better treatments for long COVID.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing next-generation vaccines that target multiple coronavirus variants, monoclonal antibodies for immunocompromised people, combination antiviral therapies, and treatments for long COVID symptoms including fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, and heart problems. Researchers are also studying nasal vaccines that might block transmission and universal coronavirus vaccines that could protect against future pandemic threats.
Long COVID treatments
Studies are testing medications for persistent fatigue, brain fog, and cardiovascular symptoms that affect millions of people months or years after infection. Trials include drugs that target viral persistence, immune dysfunction, and microclot formation.
Nasal and mucosal vaccines
Vaccines delivered as nasal sprays aim to block infection at the point of entry rather than just preventing severe disease. Early trials suggest they might reduce transmission more effectively than current vaccines.
Pan-coronavirus vaccines
Researchers are developing vaccines that target parts of the virus shared across multiple coronaviruses. These could protect against future variants and related viruses that might cause the next pandemic.
What to know before you search
Eligibility varies widely: vaccine trials often want healthy volunteers or specific age groups, treatment trials may require recent infection or long COVID diagnosis, and some studies focus on immunocompromised individuals or specific symptom clusters.
What types of trials are currently open
- Vaccine trials — Testing updated vaccines targeting current variants, nasal vaccines, and universal coronavirus vaccines that might protect against future strains.
- Antiviral trials — Testing new antiviral medications and combinations of existing drugs like nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (Paxlovid) to prevent severe illness and reduce viral persistence.
- Long COVID trials — Testing treatments for ongoing symptoms including fatigue, cognitive problems, shortness of breath, and heart issues that persist after initial infection.
- Immunocompromised trials — Studies of extended antibody protection and preventive treatments for people whose immune systems don't respond well to vaccines.
- Prevention studies — Following vaccinated and unvaccinated people to understand immunity duration, breakthrough infections, and what protects against severe disease.
Recently added Covid-19 trials
Stroke Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic led to substantial changes in the allocation of healthcare resources and affected the behavior of patients experiencing stroke symptoms. Previous studies have mainly focused on the so-called "first wave" of the pandemic during the first half of 2020. During this period, the number of hospital admissions of patients with transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) and minor strokes decreased significantly in many hospitals. This reduction was attributed not only to the reallocation of healthcare resources toward the care of patients with COVID-19, but also to patients' concerns about becoming infected with SARS-CoV-2 during a hospital stay. Since then, the situation has changed, as hospitals have become better prepared to treat patients with COVID-19 and the public has become better informed about the risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection. It is therefore possible that the pattern of acute stroke care during the subsequent wave of COVID-19, which began in autumn 2020, differed from that observed during the first wave. Aim: The aim of this project is to analyze changes in patterns of acute stroke care across different regions of Europe during the first and subsequent waves of the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify epidemiological determinants associated with changes in stroke care. Methods: We will collect and analyze data on hospital admissions of patients with acute ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, and transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) from approximately 40 participating stroke units across Europe for the period from January 1, 2019, to June 30, 2021. The following parameters will be collected: Number of hospital admissions per month and mean length of hospital stay (LOS) per month from January 1, 2019, to June 30, 2021, for the following diagnoses: ischemic stroke hemorrhagic stroke transient ischemic attack Monthly numbers of thrombolysis and thrombectomy procedures during the same period. Epidemiological parameters: population density, population age, geography of the region, urban/rural region properties, traffic connection to the first European hot spot of Covid-19, number of nursing homes Care characteritics: hospital size, stroke unit capacity. Statistical analysis: Changes in the number of stroke admissions and length of hospital stay, as well as rates of thrombolysis and thrombectomy, will be analyzed in relation to regional COVID-19 incidence and mortality rates and other epidemiological parameters, including epidemiological connectivity to the first European COVID-19 hotspot. Expected outcomes: We aim to identify regional patterns of change in acute stroke care during different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic and to determine epidemiological factors associated with these changes.
Use a smartphone app and wearable device to track fatigue patterns
This study investigates objective methods to measure and monitor fatigue in patients with post-COVID-19 condition (long COVID) and multiple sclerosis (MS), and includes a group of healthy volunteers for comparison. Fatigue is a common and debilitating symptom of both conditions, but current assessment methods rely mainly on questionnaires, which can be limited by subjectivity and recall bias. The study uses a smartphone application (the FIDO app) together with wearable devices to continuously collect data on fatigue and its fluctuations during daily life, in order to evaluate the potential of digital, objective measures compared to standard assessments. Participation lasts approximately eight weeks and includes two in-person clinic visits along with a continuous data collection phase. At the initial visit, participants complete baseline assessments and questionnaires and are introduced to the study's digital tools. During the following weeks, participants wear two wearable devices continuously (24 hours a day) and use the FIDO app to complete short daily tasks (approximately 7 minutes every two days) and brief questionnaires (approximately 5 minutes per day). All participants collect a stool sample at home at weeks 4 and 8 for gut microbiome analysis, and complete the Fatigue Scale for Motor and Cognitive Functions at week 4. At the final study visit, participants repeat a subset of the baseline assessments, provide feedback on the digital technology used, and return the study devices.
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