Altea is a platform that connects people who are keen to understand the long-term consequences of contracting coronavirus disease (COVID-19), also known as long COVID or post COVID-19 condition, and to exchange expertise and experience. Around a quarter of people who have had COVID-19 continue to experience symptoms for at least a month, and one in 10 are still unwell after 12 weeks. Symptoms are still being studied but appear to include generalized chest and muscle pain, fatigue, shortness of breath and cognitive dysfunction; the mechanisms involved affect multiple systems and include persistent inflammation, thrombosis, and reduced autoimmunity. Altea has categorized some of the symptoms into groups along with some practical advice for relief. [i]
The target audience for this platform includes:
- people who are experiencing symptoms of post COVID-19 condition;
- people who have overcome post COVID-19 condition;
- people who got infected with COVID-19;
- health care professionals; and
- researchers and scientists working on therapies and treatments of post COVID-19 condition.
The platform has six main components:
- a vademecum that provides evidence-based information and helpful tips to cope with and/or overcome symptoms;
- a directory that helps find health professionals specialized in post COVID-19 condition by location or by symptom;
- a blog where the latest news and updates about post COVID-19 condition are published;
- a compilation of personal stories from people who have experienced post COVID-19 condition either in their private or professional life;
- an interactive online forum (the Altea Community) where users can ask questions and receive responses from other platform users, who include people living with post COVID-19 condition as well as professionals; and
- a newsletter for subscribers with the latest news on post COVID-19 condition and on Altea.
The team monitors the evolving scientific evidence on post COVID-19 condition and regularly collects feedback on the usability of the platform and on the needs of the target audiences. The findings are used to keep the platform up-to-date and user-friendly.
Read the full case study:
[i]. Altea. Symptoms overview [website] (https://www.altea-network.com/en/long-covid/symptoms-overview/).
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