Dundee scientists have launched a major study into the aftermath of Covid.
They say it is ‘critical’ we learn more about the legacy of the virus if Scottish society is to adapt to living with it.
The Dundee University experts say that there is an urgent need to understand how Covid is weakening the defences of many individuals, months after initially contracting the illness.
The new three-year study will focus on how Covid can cause long-term damage to a person’s airways, exposing the lungs to re-infection.
Dr Amelia Shoemark, from the Uni’s School of Medicine, said: “While society is adjusting to a new way of life, we cannot forget that Covid-19 is still here and will remain prominent for a very long time to come.
"That is why it is critical we continue to develop our understanding of this virus and its potential ramifications on public health.
“We have recently shown how the cells in the airways can still be affected over a year after Covid-19 infection.
“This new research will allow us to identify who is at increased risk of airway damage and identify which treatments reduce this risk.”
University experts have been studying Covid-19 extensively throughout the pandemic.
Upon entering the body through the nose, the virus is known to damage the airway cells and cilia - tiny hair-like structures that usually sweep inhaled bacteria and viruses out of the airways.
Dundee research has discovered that these cells have not recovered in 90% of people up to a year following Covid infection, potentially making the lungs more vulnerable to further infection.
Dr Shoemark’s project is the latest study to have been funded by an award from the University’s Coronavirus Research Fundraising Campaign.
More about the campaign and the projects it has funded can be found here.
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