Long Covid has kept up to four million Americans from the workforce
Lingering effects of virus costing workers around $170bn per year in lost wages, Brookings Institute says
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A new study estimates that between two and four million Americans have dropped out of the workforce due to the effects of long Covid.
The Brookings Institution report found that the long-lasting impact of the disease was costing workers as much as $170bn in lost wages.
Report author Katie Back said the figures may sound “unbelievably high”, but are consistent with the experiences of comparable economies.
Using data gleaned from the Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey, the Washington DC-based think tank estimates that 16 million Americans of working age – between 18 and 65 – are suffering from long Covid.
According to the CDC, symptoms include as extreme fatigue that worsens after mental or physical exertion, chest pain, headaches and brain fog.
The figures were corroborated in studies in the United Kingdom, the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and by the scientific journal The Lancet, which found that 22 per cent of people with long Covid had stopped working.
“These impacts stand to worsen over time if the US does not take the necessary policy actions,” Ms Bach, warned.
Ms Bach said further research was needed to work out precise economic impact of Covid on the economy.
The report notes that David Cutler, a Harvard University economics professor, has calculated the cost of long Covid to the US economy at $3.7 trillion.
The costs include increased spending on medical bills, reduced earnings and deteriorating quality of life.
According to the CDC, long Covid is most likely to appear in people who suffered a severe case of the disease.
The CDC says long Covid can first be identified four weeks after infection, and usually occurs with three months.
Resrearchers are still unable to accurately diagnose or treat the illness.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments