RECOVER: Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery

We're building a nationwide study population to support research on the long-term effects of COVID-19. Join the search for answers.

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RECOVER, a research initiative from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), seeks to understand, prevent, and treat PASC, including Long COVID. PASC stands for post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 and is a term scientists are using to study the potential consequences of a SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Progress takes inclusion.

COVID-19 has affected millions. While many people are suffering, racial and ethnic minority groups have been hit the hardest.

"NIH deeply appreciates the contributions of patients who have not fully recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection and who have offered their experiences and insights.... We now ask the patient, medical, and scientific communities to come together to help us understand the long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection."

Francis Collins, MD, PhD
Director, National Institutes of Health
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Risk for COVID-19 Hospitalization by Race/Ethnicity Compared to White, Non-Hispanic Persons

American Indian or Alaska Native
3.5x
Hispanic or Latino
2.8x
Black or African American
2.8x
Asian
1x
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Progress takes coordinated action.

Progress takes coordinated action.

Teamwork is at the heart of RECOVER. Many people, groups, and organizations are working together through the RECOVER Consortium to launch multiple studies as part of the RECOVER Initiative. These studies include diverse groups of people, including adults, pregnant women, and children.

The studies will involve participants from:

  • Long COVID clinics that treat people with ongoing symptoms
  • NIH-supported COVID-19 studies and networks
  • Established NIH-supported studies of other diseases and conditions
  • Other settings

Read about how we're working together to enhance recovery

What is PASC?

SARS-CoV-2 is a virus that can infect the body and is referred to as a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Recovery from SARS-CoV-2 infection can vary from person to person:

Acute Infection:

Most people recover quickly from acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. People with acute infection report symptoms ranging from mild to severe. In some cases, this is diagnosed as COVID-19. Other people don't experience any symptoms of infection. But people who don’t experience symptoms also can be diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Icons of various COVID symptoms

Post-acute Experiences, including Long COVID:

For some people, symptoms last weeks or months after the acute infection has passed. This is often referred to as Long COVID. For other people, new symptoms may appear after the acute infection has passed whether they had symptoms during the acute infection or not.

For some people, symptoms last weeks or months after the acute infection has passed. This is often referred to as Long COVID.

For other people, new symptoms may appear after the acute infection has passed whether they had symptoms during the acute infection or not.

PASC:

Together, these and other health effects of the virus are called post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection, or PASC. PASC refers to what happens after the acute infection with the virus and is relevant whether a person has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or not. Even if someone did not experience symptoms, PASC is still relevant because there could be effects after acute infection.

PASC:

Together, these and other health effects of the virus are called post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection, or PASC. PASC refers to what happens after the acute infection with the virus and is relevant whether a person has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or not. Even if someone did not experience symptoms, PASC is still relevant because there could be effects after acute infection.

Given the number of adults and children who have been or will be infected with SARS-CoV-2, the public health impact of PASC could be very large.

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