Long COVID: Back to Work Challenges

A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sheds light on the prevalence and impact of Long COVID across the United States. 

New Report Reviews Evidence on Long COVID Diagnosis, Risk, Symptoms, and Functional Impact for Patients

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine presents conclusions about Long-term COVID diagnosis, symptoms, and impact on daily function — including that Long-term COVID can cause more than 200 symptoms and that a positive COVID-19 test is not necessary for making a Long COVID diagnosis.

Long COVID Continues as a Workplace Crisis

Long COVID continues to impact the lives of US workers. Millions of Americans live with long COVID and its many symptoms. These include fatigue, cognitive impairment (commonly referred to as muscle or joint pain, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, sleep difficulties, mood changes, and more. With millions of Americans suffering daily, more must be done to address this crisis.

The Long Legacy of COVID-19 Disability

The legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic persists. There exists a continuing need for long-term treatment and disability. While state benefit systems such as workers’ compensation have made an admirable attempt in many jurisdictions to provide benefits, a significant gap and non-uniform delivery of benefits continue to exist among jurisdictions. Federal efforts are expanding to provide necessary research and treatment protocol resources. 

Another Class of Benefits Proposed for Workers’ Compensation

The NJ Legislature is considering expanding the multitiered program to compensate the victims of industrial illness. This time a supplemental benefit program is being offered to compensate healthcare workers who contracted COVID-19.

Rehabilitation, recognition and research needed for people living with long COVID

While most people who develop COVID-19 fully recover, it is estimated that 10–20% go on to develop what is now known as long COVID. This condition involves a variety of mid- and long-term symptoms such as fatigue, breathlessness and lack of mental focus. While the science behind long COVID is still unclear, a new WHO/Europe factsheet collects existing evidence on the condition and its often-debilitating effect on people’s lives.

Establishing Causal Relationship: Long COVID Biomarkers

Identifiable biomarkers may provide objective evidence in proving a Long COVID claim. A recent report highlights developments in identifying the risk of Long COVID through immune profiling.

Waiting for a Treatment for Long COVID Creates Uncertainty

The workers’ compensation system works because there is certainty in the amount and type of benefits available. The lack of an authorized treatment for long COVID disrupts that model and leaves employees, employers, and insurance companies with an unpredictable future.

Innovation is Necessary to Meet the Challenge of COVID in 2022

COVID is the most extensive occupational exposure event in the history of the United States. Workplaces are now primed for a massive wave of compensation claims due to the Omicron variant. A recent study provides a potential opportunity for employers and insurance companies to reduce their risk exposure through early sequencing and treatment proactively.