"Long COVID" federal response ramps up, with an NIH trial of potential treatments starting this fall

It's been one of the biggest mysteries of the COVID-19 pandemic: Why do some people experience at-times debilitating symptoms that linger for months after the initial infection came and went? And what can be done to help those suffering from "long COVID"?

The National Institutes of Health is now hoping to launch its first big clinical trials of potential treatments for patients experiencing long-term symptoms from COVID-19 as early as October, according to a top federal official overseeing the plans.

It's part of the Biden administration's response to the millions suffering from long COVID, with initiatives expected to ramp up over the coming months.