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The Omicron variant of coronavirus is less likely to cause long Covid than previous variants, according to the first peer-reviewed study of its kind from the UK. Researchers at King's College London, using data from nearly 100,000 people who logged their Covid symptoms via an app, found the odds of developing long Covid after infection were 20 per cent to 50 per cent lower during the Omicron wave in the UK compared to Delta. The figure varied depending on the patient's age and the timing of their last vaccination. Long Covid, which includes prolonged symptoms ranging from fatigue to 'brain fog', can be debilitating and continue for weeks or months. It is increasingly being recognised as a public health problem, and researchers have been racing to find out if Omicron presents as big a risk of long Covid as previously dominant variants. The study from King's is believed to be the first academic research to show Omicron does not present as great a risk of long Covid, but that does not mean long Covid patient numbers are dropping, the team said. While the risk of long Covid was lower during Omicron, more people were infected, so the absolute number now suffering is higher. "It's good news, but please don't decommission any of your long Covid services," lead researcher Dr Claire Steves said, appealing to health-service providers.

One in eight people who were hospitalised with Covid-19 between May 2020 and March 2021 were later diagnosed with myocarditis, according to major new research into the clinical long-term effects of coronavirus. The largest study of its kind to date was led by the University of Glasgow in collaboration with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GGC), and followed for one year, in real time, 159 patients after they were hospitalised with Covid-19. The study also looked at why some patients suffer long-term ill health after hospitalisation with Covid-19. Until now it has been speculated that previous underlying health conditions may be linked to the severity of post-Covid long-term effects. However, this new study suggests that it is the severity of the infection itself which is most closely correlated to the severity of a patient's long-Covid symptoms, rather than pre-existing health problems. Hospitalisation with Covid-19 was found to cause a number of long-term health problems. Researchers found one in eight patients hospitalised with Covid-19 have heart inflammation, while inflammation across the body and damage to the other organs such as the kidneys was also common.

The number of people suffering from addiction is at an all time high, with more people seeking treatment across the USA due to the fentanyl crisis, but new studies have shown that addiction drugs may not only be able to aid those suffering from the deadly disease, but also aid people suffering from long COVID. While there has long been research underway to find a cure for the likes of alcoholism and drug addiction, it turns out naltrexone, a drug used in the addiction treatment space, is helping people who have been suffering from headaches, seizures and fatigue as a result of long COVID. According to Dr. Paul Valbuena at The River Source, an Arizona drug rehab, naltrexone is typically used by rehab centers and prescribed to patients suffering from addiction to reduce cravings and the feeling of euphoria associated with substance use disorder, giving patients clarity and focus to concentrate on recovery. Thanks to a recent report, that has also been revealed to be the case for those suffering with long COVID too, with Lauren Nichols, a long COVID sufferer from Chicago being prescribed the drug by her doctor. She found that the drug helped quell her seizures and headaches, alowing her to think clearly and get on with her life as normal. It's been a similar story for other patients too, and has marked a major breakthrough in the bid to help those who are still suffering in the aftermath of the pandemic.