The book "Covid-19 e a condição pós-covid", published by U.Porto Press and the Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), stems from the eponymous conference held by the Academia das Ciências de Lisboa at U.Porto in October 2025. The work brings together contributions from specialists in various fields, including Henrique Barros, Mário Centeno, Gonçalo Lobo Xavier, and Mariana Vieira da Silva, who address the medical, epidemiological, social, scientific, economic, legal, psychological, and political dimensions of the pandemic.
The launch is scheduled for October 19, at 6:00 PM, at the U.Porto Rectory (Auditório da Casa Comum). The presentation will be given by Henrique Cyrne Carvalho, Director of ICBAS, and Gabriela Queiroz, Councilor of the Porto Municipal Council responsible for Social Cohesion, Health, and Civil Protection. The author and the Rector of U.Porto, Pedro Nuno Teixeira, will also be present.
Despite the World Health Organization declaring the end of the global COVID-19 emergency on May 5, 2023, it warns that "new variants have emerged" and "millions of citizens affected by the pandemic continue to experience symptoms" of the post-COVID-19 condition (Long-COVID). Alexandre Quintanilha notes that, although a vast amount of data has been accumulated, "we are still far from understanding the etiology of all these symptoms and their link to the different variants of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus".
The book aims to "inform citizens about what is known and what remains unknown on this topic," disseminating ongoing research and projects. Quintanilha argues that "understanding not only the biology but also the psychological, social, economic, and legal impact of this pandemic is fundamental for Governments to implement the most informed public policies".
Organized into four chapters, the book covers themes such as "Challenges and Responses," "Public Health Institutions," "Shared Effort and Volunteering," and "Managing COVID and the Post-COVID Condition." It features 17 texts by diverse specialists who "encompass areas from medicine and public health to economics and public policy," constituting "a very relevant record for understanding the Portuguese experience and enabling the prevention and treatment of the next pandemic," according to José Francisco Rodrigues, President of the Academia das Ciências de Lisboa.
António de Sousa Pereira, former Rector of U.Porto, highlights in the preface that how Portugal dealt with COVID-19 and the approach to future pandemics "will largely depend on our ability to update and disseminate the knowledge and information we gather." Alexandre Quintanilha concludes that "the Portuguese experience deserves to be known" and that "we learned a lot," calling it "certainly a success story".
The book "Covid-19 e a condição pós-covid" is available for pre-order in the U.Porto Press online store, with a 10% discount and free shipping.
