Surviving COVID-19 doesn’t necessarily mean the virus is done with you yet.  Researchers at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization on the USask campus are studying “long-haulers disease”. Dr. Alyson Kelvin says about a third of people who get the virus end up having some symptoms remain after the virus has cleared the body, and some people get new symptoms.

Using the hamster model of COVID-19 developed VIDO, what researchers have found is that COVID-19 doesn’t just attack the respiratory tract. It can also cause significant damage to your kidneys, large intestines, and your heart. Dr. Kelvin says the next step is figuring out how the damage is caused to then figure out possible therapeutics and therapies. Some of the long lasting symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, difficulty concentrating, headaches, and the inability to exercise.

Dr. Kelvin came to VIDO in February of 2020 as a visiting scientist from Halifax to conduct research to help develop potential solutions to COVID-19. She has since decided to stay, and officially joins the team next month. The associate director of research at VIDO, Andrew Van Kessel, says, ” part of establishing VIDO as Canada’s Centre for Pandemic Research involves recruiting scientists leading world-class research programs. We are happy that Dr. Kelvin will join our growing team focused on emerging infectious diseases.”