These are among the lessons learnt and recommendations from a Nordic expert group that has written a policy paper on the long-term health consequences of COVID-19, also known as the post-COVID condition (PCC).
The policy paper Knowledge development post-COVID-19 summarises key scientific questions and knowledge gaps related to PCC that have been identified in a Nordic project. Lessons learnt for developing preparedness for future pandemics and strengthening health resilience are discussed in a Nordic context.
Recommendations
In the Nordic countries, research policy should support multidisciplinary research on PCC, including research on the causes, diagnosis, monitoring, treatment, and rehabilitation of the condition. Research on the long-term consequences of PCC and other post-viral conditions on both public health and health economics in a Nordic context should also be supported.
National research funding agencies and NordForsk should support:
- opportunities for setting up and co-funding Nordic PCC research programmes where there is clear added value in conducting research at the Nordic level and clear Nordic strengths are addressed.
- the establishment of cross-disciplinary and cross-sectoral Nordic PCC research collaborations to increase the impact of ongoing research.
- the establishment of Nordic PCC-co-operation platforms, e.g. networks for researchers, clinicians, and/or cross-sectoral co-operation between medical expertise, public-private partnerships, key opinion leaders, and patient organisations with the aim of using lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic to strengthen Nordic preparedness for future crises.
- the engagement of patients and their carers/relatives/significant others as valuable partners throughout the entirety of the research and policy process to strengthen the feasibility and impact of PCC research.
Further recommendations directed towards the healthcare system can be found in the report.
Nordic opportunities for collaboration within PCC research
Strengthened Nordic collaboration for better crisis management is a priority of the Nordic policy level. Since 2023 NordForsk has co-ordinated a project on knowledge development post COVID-19. The aim of the project has been to establish a network for collaboration on new research questions born out of the pandemic, including knowledge sharing on examples of best practice and clinical guidelines for the treatment of patients suffering from post-COVID condition (PCC). A further aim has been to identify knowledge gaps that could be developed into Nordic clinical research initiatives.
NordForsk established a Nordic expert group responsible for the scientific and strategic design of the project. The expert group has identified Nordic opportunities for collaboration within PCC research, research funding, and policy development and formulated these into recommendations directed towards the Nordic policy level and national funders of research.
Research professor Markus Perola from the Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare who has acted as Chair of the expert group says:
"Improving recovery from PCC is of the utmost importance and requires robust evidence on the effectiveness of rehabilitative interventions, including also patient perspectives. In addition to the impact that rehabilitation has on the daily lives and health outcomes of the individual PCC patient, it is also very important at the societal and organisational level."
The policy paper highlights several important lessons to be learnt from the emergence of PCC. Most importantly, when encountering a new viral or pandemic disease, knowledge should be derived from cross-sectoral and multidisciplinary research to make the most impact.
"Networks and platforms for such collaboration between experts in different areas should preferentially be in place already before a new pandemic emerges rather than established ad hoc as the situation develops Perola emphasises. The potential long-term health consequences should be considered already in the acute phase of a pandemic," he says.
Urgent need for more research knowledge
The expert group has involved a wider group of Nordic experts including patients’ organisations in the development of the policy paper by arranging two Nordic workshops. The main message from the workshops was the urgent need for more research knowledge around PCC as well as the need for fora for discussing and sharing knowledge around emerging challenges and practices.
"Our recommendations will hopefully lead to support for new Nordic research initiatives and collaboration networks that may help to bridge the key knowledge gaps around PCC and strengthen Nordic preparedness for future post-viral conditions. But most importantly, contribute to improving the wellbeing of those affected by PCC," Perola concludes.
In response to the recommendations NordForsk has launched a call for funding for Nordic network activities on post-COVID which has led to the establishment of three new networks kicking off early 2025.
In response to the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, NordForsk has also initiated several research calls to enhance understanding and resilience within the Nordic region.
Did you know?
PCC is a complex condition that affects multiple body systems and persists for months or even years after the initial phase of a SARS-CoV-2 infection. This condition can impact the respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, and gastrointestinal systems resulting in diverse symptoms. Consequently, patients suffering from PCC may present with a wide range of symptoms including anything from light symptoms of dyspnoea, fatigue, or forgetfulness to extreme debilitation from the same symptoms.
The estimated prevalence of PCC in the population is between 1 percent and 6 percent. In a Nordic context, data suggests that hundreds of thousands of individuals may have suffered PCC-related conditions in a clinically significant range. Consequently, PCC can have a significant effect on both afflicted patients and communities, as well as have far-reaching ramifications for health systems, national economies, and global health metrics.
