The Australian government has pledged a $50m funding boost for research into long Covid, as a parliamentary inquiry called for the establishment of a single Covid-19 database and a nationally coordinated research program into the condition.
The health minister, Mark Butler, said the $50m investment, provided from the Medical Research Future Fund, was an initial response to the inquiry.
On Monday, the House of Representatives standing committee on health, aged care and sport tabled its inquiry report into the health, economic and social impacts of long Covid and repeat infections.
The committee made recommendations including that the Australian government:
Establish and fund a single Covid-19 database to be administered by the Australian Centre for Disease Control, which is in development. This database would capture data on Covid infections, hospitalisations, deaths, vaccination rates and long Covid diagnoses.
Use the World Health Organization definition of long Covid for the time being, but work with the states and territories to review the definition of long Covid as more research becomes available.
Establish a nationally coordinated research program into Covid and long Covid.
Task the pharmaceutical benefits advisory committee with regularly reviewing the benefits of antiviral treatments for Covid-19, with a view to expanding the list of groups eligible to access these treatments through the pharmaceutical benefits scheme.
Support and educate primary healthcare providers to diagnose long Covid and to help manage those suffering from it.
Establish and fund a multidisciplinary advisory body including ventilation experts, architects, aerosol scientists, industry, building code regulators and public health experts to develop national indoor air quality standards.
Consider a comprehensive summit into the Covid-19 pandemic and Australia’s past and current response.
Provide funding for research into and patient support for those affected by myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), an often debilitating post-viral condition.
The chair of the long Covid inquiry committee, Labor MP Dr Mike Freelander, said in the report’s foreword that the committee was “hampered by a lack of specific data and the lack of a concise definition of what constitutes long Covid”.
“At the present time, we accept the World Health Organization definition as the most useful for clinical practice; however, this may need to be modified as further information becomes available,” he said.
The WHO defines long Covid as the continuation or development of new symptoms three months after the initial infection, with symptoms lasting for at least two months with no other explanation. Diagnosis can be challenging because about 200 different symptoms have been associated with the condition.
“It is clear that long Covid is a significant problem and estimates vary, indicating that between 2% to 20% of those infected with Covid-19 may develop long Covid,” Freelander said. “Even if it is the lower figure of 2%, this is still many people requiring help and support.
“At this stage it does seem that specific treatments require more evidence of benefit before being specifically recommended, but this will become clearer over time.
“It is also of concern that women seem more likely to be affected by long Covid than men.”
The report said there was “a lack of conclusive evidence about recovery periods”, but the inquiry heard evidence that most people with long Covid would eventually recover.
Those affected by long Covid told the inquiry about impairments to their quality of life, long waits to access specialist care including long Covid clinics, lost earnings including an inability to work, and frustration with a lack of answers or consistent advice from healthcare professionals.
Liberal MP Melissa McIntosh, a co-chair of house health committee, said her involvement in the long Covid inquiry was motivated by her own experience with persistent symptoms after contracting the virus in April last year.
“The relatively short-lived symptoms I had of breathlessness and fatigue were very mild compared to how much some people are suffering from long Covid around the country, so sick they can barely get out of bed, many months after the onset of their symptoms,” she said in a statement.
“The committee has recommended mental health support for those with long Covid must be provided in an affordable, timely and equitable manner, and I would like to see the Australian government prioritise this recommendation.”
