RECOVER is a research project that aims to learn about the long-term health effects of COVID, called Long COVID. RECOVER Studies help us better understand Long COVID to inform possible ways to diagnose and treat it. Learn more about RECOVER Studies and the progress we’re making to better understand Long COVID.
We are grateful to all the participants who joined in this nationwide effort. The first phase of the RECOVER adult study ended on October 31, 2025. Some participants will be invited to join the next phase of the adult study in 2026. The pediatric and tissue pathology (autopsy) studies are ongoing.
If you’re a participant in a RECOVER study, you can find resources and learn more about what to expect on our For Participants page.
These are studies where people are paid to do tests and have checkups but are not given a treatment or medicine for COVID. Researchers observe them over a long period of time to see how COVID affects their health. This type of study is called an observational cohort study. RECOVER has cohort studies for 3 groups of people.
Children and young adults from newborns up to age 25 joined this study.
Had COVID in the past month Enrollment Complete
Had COVID over 1 month ago Enrollment Complete
Never had COVID Enrollment Complete
Women who were pregnant after January 1, 2020 joined this study.
Had COVID in the past month Enrollment Complete
Had COVID over 1 month ago Enrollment Complete
Never had COVID Enrollment Complete
Learn about the next phase of this study
View study protocol
People older than 18 years joined this study.
Had COVID in the past month Enrollment Complete
Had COVID over 1 month ago Enrollment Complete
Never had COVID Enrollment Complete
Learn about the next phase of this study
View study protocol
The goal is to learn how we can better prevent and treat Long COVID in the future. The main questions it will answer include:
Long COVID is when a person still has 1 or more symptoms of COVID that last for at least 3 months after first getting an infection. Their symptoms can include trouble breathing, a cough, feeling weak and tired, and problems with certain organs, such as their heart or kidneys.
Learn more about RECOVER
See how we're making a difference together
Looking for information on a clinical trial testing a new, possible treatment for Long COVID? Learn about RECOVER Clinical Trials.
In addition to cohort studies, we’re learning about Long COVID in other ways, such as by testing human tissue, finding patterns in electronic health records, and studying information from RECOVER’s wearable devices.
With the permission of a loved one, researchers respectfully collect tissues and organs of people who have died. This lets researchers study Long COVID in ways that aren’t possible when people are alive.
Electronic health records (EHRs) are digital versions of patients’ medical records. RECOVER researchers use this real-world data from large groups of people to learn about Long COVID and why it affects people differently.
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