- Researchers in Spain assessed over 190,000 participants, using data from a public health research network, in a study published in the journal Vaccines. They found that Long COVID prevalence was three to 10 times higher in individuals with three or more reported infections (about 600 people in the dataset) than in those with only one infection. They also found that the number of thrombotic events, including strokes and pulmonary embolisms, in people under 60 doubled from 2020 to 2024, in both people who were and weren’t vaccinated. The authors concluded that policymakers should prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and that healthcare workers should continue wearing protective masks.
- A new RECOVER study published in JAMA found that olfactory dysfunction, or changes to sense of smell, occurred in people after SARS-CoV-2 infection, even in those who didn’t report changes. The study included 3,525 participants and formally tested 40 different smells. Researchers found that 66% of previously-infected participants without self-reported change or loss also had olfactory dysfunction, and that dysfunction coincided with cognitive deficits. The authors wrote that their findings corroborated other studies that people underestimate their loss of smell following COVID-19.
- A behavioral trial at Columbia University (LONG-CALM) is assessing a vague “mindfulness intervention” for Long COVID. The clinicaltrials.gov page states that participants will view a series of recorded “mindfulness sessions” which were “created by the study team” for eight weeks. The study aims to enroll 400 participants, who will also complete surveys about their symptoms. Mindfulness has been heavily criticized as a treatment for Long COVID by leading researchers and people with the disease. While it can help reduce stress, it has been weaponized against people with chronic illnesses and taken research funding away from trials assessing potential root causes, including immune dysregulation, viral persistence, reactivated viruses, and more.
