This article was initially published in French on infobref.com
In some people, Covid-19 symptoms persist for several months after infection. Medical authorities refer to this persistence of symptoms as “long Covid”. This prolongation of the disease can significantly reduce the quality of life of sufferers. Montreal-based start-up Meo Health has designed an app that helps people with Long Covid through conditioning exercises that act on the nervous system.
The problem the company is tackling is the lack of specific management of the symptoms of Long Covid.
“Long Covid turns lives upside down, because the symptoms associated with it can stretch and interfere with quality of life,” Charlotte Boivin, CEO and co-founder of Meo Health, tells InfoBref. Most people with Covid-19 recover within 2 to 4 weeks. But in 10-15% of cases, symptoms can persist for months. Covid-19 then becomes Covid longue, a disease recognized by the Institut national d’excellence en santé et en services sociaux (Inesss). Symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath and cognitive difficulties. This disease is fairly recent,” stresses Charlotte Boivin. As a result, there are as yet no solutions designed specifically to address it.
Meo Health’s solution is a nervous system conditioning program that helps people with long-standing Covid manage their symptoms. The program is delivered over 12 weeks by means of an application that uses artificial intelligence and biosensors. The company conducted a pilot project supervised by several experts, including a neurologist, a pulmonologist and a physiotherapist.
The company’s business model is to sell a digital service to help people with long-standing Covid, billed as a quarterly subscription. The application will be launched in the coming months in Canada, the United States and Europe. In the meantime, it is possible to join a waiting list.
Meo Health is one of 20 start-ups selected this year in Startup Montréal’s Bourse+ program.
Next steps for Meo Health:
Between now and next year, the company will complete its first round of financing and begin marketing its product in Quebec, Ontario and the United States.
In the long term, Meo Health intends to develop similar applications to support people suffering from other diseases involving nervous system disorders.
