As Australia heads into the winter surge of COVID and influenza cases, University of Adelaide clinicians and colleagues from across the country want to speak to people with cold and flu symptoms for a new study.
The OUTPOST study, a Commonwealth-funded project led by clinician-researchers from the University of Adelaide, University of Melbourne, the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, and the Kirby Institute at UNSW, aims to better understand post-COVID complications like fatigue and brain fog.
People aged 12 years or older are eligible to participate, with the study tracking the onset of acute infection from one of the 'big three' respiratory viruses - COVID, influenza (flu) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
There will be check ins at six weeks, three months, six months and one year, providing real-time insights into the impact of the infection and the time taken to recover.
"Participants will be given a free triple RAT test for SARS-CoV-2, Influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and will be asked to give feedback about symptoms throughout the study," said researcher and University of Adelaide Head of the Discipline of General Practice Professor Nigel Stocks.
"Ideally, when someone stays unwell after one of these acute infections, support should be available through primary care teams including doctors, nurses and allied health practitioners.
"However, this type of multi-disciplinary care is not always readily accessible.
"Through the OUTPOST study, we will map what care pathways currently exist and where there are gaps, to guide improvements in care delivery in the future."
Professor Lena Sanci, OUTPOST co-lead investigator and Head of the Department of General Practice and Primary Care at the University of Melbourne, said the study will shed light on how common post-viral illness is, as well as how it varies based on the type or severity of infection.
"We heard a lot about severe long COVID in the earlier days of the pandemic, and a lot of this was pre-vaccination and antiviral therapy," said Professor Sanci.
"For this study, we want to recruit 1500 Australians who are currently unwell with acute flu-like illness, confirm whether they have COVID or another infection, and then monitor the illness through to recovery.
"OUTPOST has been designed to systematically collect data on post-infective illness following a range of infections, with the goal of understanding what kind of symptoms people experience and for how long, as well as understanding the everyday impacts of these long-term symptoms on peoples' lives and on the health services they use."
Long COVID is a complex disease affecting many different systems of the body, said co-lead investigator Emeritus Professor Andrew Lloyd, Head of the Viral Immunology Systems Program at Kirby Institute, UNSW.
"The persisting illness can range from mild to completely debilitating, impacting both physical and mental health, leading to poor social and emotional-wellbeing and decreased education and employment," he said.
Participants can register online to participate or through a selection of GP clinics and pharmacies
