The Price We Pay: The Economic Burden of Long COVID

New Haven, CT – A new study from Yale University reveals that the long-term effects of COVID-19, commonly known as long COVID, have had a substantial impact on the American workforce. The research, published in PLOS ONE, indicates that millions of people may be out of work due to the condition, resulting in significant economic consequences.

The study analyzed data from over 6,000 participants who contracted COVID-19 and were followed for 18 months. Key findings include:

• Extensive work absences: More than 7% of participants missed over 10 days of work due to COVID-related symptoms within three months of infection.
• High rates of unemployment: Nearly 14% of participants did not return to work at all within three months post-infection. This rate was significantly higher among individuals with five or more long COVID symptoms.
• Young adults affected: The average age of study participants was 40, highlighting the impact on a typically productive age group.

Lead author Arjun Venkatesh, Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Yale School of Medicine, emphasized the severity of the issue. “This has big economic impacts,” he said. “It also has impacts on those people individually in terms of their own income security and their ability to care for themselves and their families.”

The study underscores the urgent need for policies to support individuals with long COVID. Venkatesh called for increased attention to disability policies and work transition programs to help those affected by the condition.

“Given the millions of people who have had COVID-19 in the United States and the millions of people that report prolonged symptoms, this is not a small problem,” said Venkatesh. “So it does require big interventions.”