A study has offered hope to patients of long COVID, for which there is currently no diagnostic test. Researchers have found a pattern of rogue antibodies in the blood of a small number of people who had been infected with COVID-19 for a longer period. This finding could help tackle the persistent virus better.

Long COVID is  a complex condition” and is not fully understood.  It can cover a range of symptoms lasting long after initial infection, including fatigue, breathlessness, headaches and muscle pain.

The study was conducted by Imperial College London researchers. They hope that these early findings could go on to become a proper blood test within 6-18 months, BBC reported.

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It should be noted that as of now there are no ways or particular tests to diagnose long COVID in people. Thus, if successful, this will become a huge discovery in terms of COVID diagnosis.

Calling it an exciting finding, Dr Elaine Maxwell, from the National Institute of Health Research, said, “A number of different things happening after a COVID-19 infection and an autoimmune response has been one of the suspected mechanisms.”

However, she further suggested that research on this must be continued rigorously as long COVID is a complicated condition with not much data available on it. Thus, simply relying on early outcomes and reaching a conclusion is not a rational way to go about it.

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Professor Danny Altmann, who is leading the research team, said he believes the work will lead to a test that could be done in a doctor’s surgery.

Professor Altmann also talked about the UK government’s unlocking plans and said that this attitude of ‘living with COVID-19′ is a matter of concern for him.

“This could be stoking the next wave of cases of the condition,” said Altmann.

The UK government is planning to end most coronavirus restrictions in England in a week’s time, on 19 July.