Wir überwinden Grenzen

Study records type and frequency of persistent complaints following a Covid-19 infection during the Omicron wave / Questionnaires sent out should be completed and returned by mid-September

How are the people who had a Covid-19 infection in the Omicron wave last summer doing today? To find out, the Medical Center - University of Freiburg and the health authorities of Freiburg/Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald and Emmendingen launched the next phase of a study funded by the state of Baden-Württemberg in mid-August to investigate the delayed recovery and lasting symptoms after an acute Covid-19 infection. To this end, some of the people who fell ill with coronavirus in these districts last summer were sent questionnaires about their current condition. This should also make it possible to compare the course of the disease between the different Covid-19 variants, as the survey was also carried out last year.

"We very much hope and ask that everyone who has been sent a questionnaire will actually take part in the survey," says Prof. Dr. Winfried Kern from the Department of Infectious Diseases at the Department of Medicine II of theMedical Center - University of Freiburg and spokesperson for the Baden-Württemberg study group. "A very high participation rate is important in order to be able to provide reliable information on this clinical picture," added Dr. Oliver Kappert, Head of the Freiburg/Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald Health Department, and his colleague Dr. Armin Dietz from Emmendingen. The questions should always be answered even if the infection was mild or all symptoms have completely disappeared.

As in the previous study, the current survey will collect information on the SARS-CoV-2 infection at the time (July 2022), the development of symptoms to date and the current health situation and quality of life. The project will also be launched again in the regions around Heidelberg, Tübingen and Ulm. Completing the questionnaire takes no longer than 15 minutes.

By comparing the new data with the previous data, the researchers want to find out whether "Long Covid" was as common as in the previous corona waves and causes similar complaints. This new large population-based study in Baden-Württemberg aims to contribute to a better understanding of the disease and the development of treatment options.

Further information on the EPILOC study: www.epiloc.de/projekt