DEFEAT Corona: Research project on the long-term consequences of coronavirus infection and pandemic

DEFEnse Against COVID-19 STudy - Looking forward

DEFEAT Corona - DEFEnse Against COVID-19 STudy - Looking forward- is an EU-funded research project that deals with the long-term consequences of the corona pandemic and the viral infection caused by SARS-CoV2.
The project is being carried out by the Clinical Department of Rheumatology and Immunology at Hannover Medical School, the University Medical Center Göttingen and Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences Braunschweig.
The DEFEAT Corona Study is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Find out more on our official project homepage: www.defeat-corona.de

Brief description of the project

The central goal of the joint project DEFEAT CORONA is to establish an innovative, application- and patient-centered research and care structure to meet the challenges of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic of the vaccine era in Lower Saxony.

Novel vaccines are now available and appear to be able to drastically reduce the rate of illness caused by SARS-CoV-2. However, it is still largely unclear to what extent immune protection builds up, especially in vulnerable people, how long it lasts and which components of the immune system mediate these effects.

Among patients with coronavirus infection who are not treated in hospitals, it is estimated that one in ten will be affected by late effects of the infection. So far, there is a lack of both scientific knowledge and holistic treatment concepts and resources based on this knowledge.

Irrespective of the question of whether the immune system of those affected is able to build up appropriate protection after vaccination and which disease syndromes can be found among the late effects, the paths back to an old or new normality for particularly affected people will not be linearly linked to protective immunity.

How people directly or indirectly affected by COVID-19 find their way back to old or new forms of social and societal participation in the vaccine era is also relevant. The consideration and active involvement of those affected provide important information on how measures, Communications and care services can be optimized in the future and contribute to social cohesion.

The DEFEAT CORONA joint project initially lays the foundation for long-term cooperation and describes the extent of the pandemic's impact. The current situation is characterized by great volatility because, for example, new virus mutations are emerging that can accelerate the spread or counteract a successful vaccination. This requires flexibility in project planning and, if necessary, short-term adjustments.

In the long term, this joint project lays the foundation for long-term monitoring, safeguarding vaccination protection and the development of therapeutic approaches and new care models. These should enable patients with long COVID to return to life on the one hand, but also address the psychosocial consequences of the measures to combat the pandemic on the other.

The joint project aims to create structures for long-term research and development cooperation and, from a scientific perspective, provide an essential building block for overcoming the pandemic situation.

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