WHY WE'RE INVESTIGATING THIS QUESTION

EDS patients have recently been voicing the observation that they are experiencing long Covid at a disproportionately high rate compared to the general population.

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Meanwhile, long Covid patients have been reporting that they frequently discover they had undiagnosed EDS after they sought help for long Covid.

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Research into both EDS and post-viral illness can be slow paced and underfunded proportionate to the burden of these illnesses.

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At a time in the pandemic where it is increasingly challenging for people, especially those with care and medical needs, to avoid becoming infected, these repeated anecdotes - while they are a signal - are not enough. Having scientific evidence whether EDS is a risk factor for long Covid or not could make a profound difference to many people's lives.

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Many with EDS already live with severe disability and can ill afford to add further chronic illness to it.

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People with long Covid need the best possible treatment, as soon as possible and, since EDS goes undiagnosed on average for 10 years after seeking help, it is vital to avoid delays to its diagnosis, and consequent inappropriate treatments, if - far from a rare 'zebra' condition - it is in fact common in long Covid patients.