People may experience 'long colds' after respiratory illness, not only Covid: Study

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has subsided, but its impact can still be seen as long Covid. However, scientists now suggest that symptoms that last for a long time could be because of "long colds", which are just as common as long Covid.

Researchers at the Queen Mary University of London found that people experience long-term symptoms even after respiratory infections that test negative for Covid.

In the aftereffects of Covid, coughing, stomach pain and diarrhoea were among some of the most common symptoms of a long cold as they used to last for more than four weeks.

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Meanwhile, in the latest research, published in The Lancet's EClinicalMedicine journal, it is said that in some of cases, people may suffer long-term effects from colds, flu or pneumonia.

The researchers said, "Our findings suggest that there may be long-lasting health impacts from other respiratory infections that are going unrecognised, although we do not yet have evidence that these symptoms have a similar duration to long Covid."

To carry out the study, experts analysed data from over 10,000 people who were taking part in the Covidence UK study into coronavirus in the population.

The study said that researchers included participants — 12.9% with SARS-CoV-2 infection and 4.6% with non-Covid acute respiratory infections (ARI).

Researchers found that both types of infection were associated with increased prevalence and severity of most symptoms and decreased health-related quality of life compared with no infection.

The study said that participants with SARS-CoV-2 infection had increased odds of problems with taste and smell and lightheadedness or dizziness compared with participants with non-Covid ARIs.

Professor Adrian Martineau, who is from Queen Mary University of London, told the PA news agency that the results showed that 22% of people with Covid suffered prolonged symptoms after infection, as did 22% of those who had an infection that was not Covid.

Martineau, who also worked on the study, said there was a "similar risk of prolonged symptoms" irrespective of whether it was caused by Covid or non-Covid infection.

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Lead author Giulia Vivaldi from the Queen Mary University of London, said: "Our findings shine a light not only on the impact of long Covid on people's lives, but also other respiratory infections. A lack of awareness – or even the lack of a common term – prevents both reporting and diagnosis of these conditions."

"As research into long Covid continues, we need to take the opportunity to investigate and consider the lasting effects of other acute respiratory infections. These 'long' infections are so difficult to diagnose and treat primarily because of a lack of diagnostic tests and there being so many possible symptoms. There have been more than 200 (symptoms) investigated for long Covid alone," Vivaldi added.

The researchers have also said that more studies are requited for a better understanding of long-Covid.

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