Today, a U.S. House subcommittee will meet to explore and examine the public health and economic impact of long Covid.
According to data from the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, one in five U.S. adults who have gotten the virus are experiencing long Covid, which are symptoms that persist several weeks following initial infection.
As a result, many people have been forced to leave the workforce due to a lack of support and understanding about the illness.
The hearing will feature testimony from Dr. Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez, a professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, who wrote prior to the hearing that long Covid is “100 times worse” than the cancer fatigue experienced by previous patients she has treated.
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Among those who are suffering from long Covid, somewhere between 25% and 65% have seen their work capabilities suffer.
Data supports that labor participation is suffering as well. According to data from the Bank of England, workforce participation fell by 1.3%, which likely correlates with long Covid.
This condition still has much mystery surrounding it, but knowing how common it is indicates the need for more detailed Covid support in the workplace.
Brain fog and trouble breathing aren’t symptoms that are negligible — businesses must accommodate this puzzling illness until science and healthcare make bigger strides in addressing it.
