ROANOKE, Va – A Congressman from southwest Virginia is taking part in a nationwide study looking at what happens after testing positive for COVID-19.
Representative Morgan Griffith and 299 other people from across the country are taking part in a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health. Researchers are monitoring what happens after patients have recovered from the virus.
“We believe that this COVID virus will be around even if we have a vaccine, and even if we have good treatment, which we are doing much better on, we should know if there are any aftereffects, what those aftereffects are,” 9th District Representative Morgan Griffith said.
Griffith said the study also gives him a new perspective on some of the legislation he passes.
“It gives me an insider’s look on how the studies that we are funding, how they work and how these people do and actually know the labs and know some of the people who are doing the work and knowing some of the doctors and so fourth, so it’s very helpful to me as well,” Griffith said.
The study will be conducted over the next two to three years.
“There’s part of me that hopes they find that there’s nothing, but if there is something, then I’m one of their guinea pigs that will be used to say, ‘OK, if you had this, you need to be on the lookout for A, B or C,’” Griffith said.
Griffith hopes that taking part in it will help provide some insight into health patterns of people who have had the virus.