‘Long Colds’ May Exist, Scientists Studying Covid’s Effects Find

  • Cough, stomach pain and diarrhea can linger up to four weeks
  • UK study highlights lasting effects of non-Covid infections
Photographer: Anthony Devlin/Bloomberg
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Common cold symptoms can drag, leaving sufferers with a lingering cough, stomach pain, and diarrhea for weeks, scientists found.

In a study aimed at better understanding the pandemic’s effects, researchers at Queen Mary University of London found a subset of patients not infected with SARS-CoV-2, but who caught another respiratory bug, reported symptoms lasting at least four weeks, reminiscent of the long Covid condition plaguing at least 10% of coronavirus cases.