Long COVID affects an estimated 10-30% of people who had COVID-19, causing fatigue, brain fog, shortness of breath, and dozens of other symptoms that persist for months or years. No FDA-approved treatments exist yet, though researchers are testing repurposed drugs and new therapies. Most care now focuses on managing individual symptoms and rehabilitation.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing antivirals to clear persistent virus, anticoagulants for blood clotting abnormalities, metformin to prevent long COVID from developing, and drugs targeting immune dysfunction. Researchers are also studying whether reactivated viruses like Epstein-Barr play a role, and testing physical rehabilitation programs tailored to avoid post-exertional malaise.
Antiviral approaches
Studies are testing whether Paxlovid and other antivirals can treat long COVID by clearing viral reservoirs that may persist in the body. Early results suggest benefit in some people, though effects vary.
Microclot research
Evidence shows abnormal blood clotting in many people with long COVID. Trials are testing anticoagulants and drugs that break down these microclots to see if they improve symptoms.
Prevention trials
Metformin, given during acute COVID, reduced long COVID risk by 40% in one trial. Researchers are testing whether other drugs taken early can prevent long-term symptoms from developing.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically requires documented COVID-19 infection and symptoms lasting at least three months, with specific trials selecting for symptom types like fatigue, cognitive issues, or breathing problems.
What types of trials are currently open
- Antiviral trials — Testing whether drugs like Paxlovid can treat long COVID symptoms by clearing persistent virus from the body.
- Immune modulation trials — Testing drugs that calm overactive immune responses or target autoantibodies that may drive symptoms.
- Anticoagulation trials — Testing blood thinners and clot-dissolving drugs for people with evidence of microclots or circulation problems.
- Rehabilitation studies — Testing exercise and physical therapy programs designed to avoid worsening symptoms, especially post-exertional malaise.
- Observational studies — Following people with long COVID to understand symptom patterns, biomarkers, and what predicts recovery.
Recently added Long Covid trials
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.
Share health updates and donate oral samples to study Long COVID
This study will examine how common Long COVID is and how symptoms may persist over time in people who have previously had COVID-19. Researchers will collect information about participants' health and symptoms through questionnaires and may collect saliva and other non-invasive oral samples. The study will also examine biological factors in these samples that may be associated with persistent symptoms. The goal is to better understand why some people develop Long COVID and identify factors that may help predict who is more likely to experience persistent symptoms.
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