The lives of millions of Americans have been thrown into disarray by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. But even more dramatic are the effects of “long COVID,” a disease that weakens people even after they recover from the initial bout of the virus.

A recent study by Yale University provides frightening insights into the plight of people suffering from Long Covid. Overall, 14 percent of study participants reported not returning to work in the months following their infection.

In the wake of the global pandemic, a long-term study called “Innovative Support for Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Infections Registry” (INSPIRE) was initiated in autumn 2020 and is scheduled to run until summer 2022.

The extensive study involved over 6,000 participants from various locations across the United States, including Illinois, Connecticut, Washington, Pennsylvania, Texas and California.

Diving into the data

As part of the INSPIRE study, Yale researchers focused primarily on the workplace responses of participants who had contracted the virus. Their return to work after infection and the frequency of workdays missed due to COVID-related symptoms were key areas of interest.

The researchers also assessed how many symptoms the participants showed after a COVID-19 infection.

Of the nearly 3,000 participants who were employed before the pandemic, nearly 10% reported having five or more symptoms three months after infection.

Arjun Venkatesh is the lead author of the study and chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Yale School of Medicine.

“This number was important because we have shown in previous studies that the number of symptoms someone has after being infected with SARS-CoV-2 may be a greater indicator of how severe their long-COVID course is,” Venkatesh said.

Economic consequences of Long COVID

The study revealed a shocking statistic: More than 7% of participants missed more than 10 days of work due to COVID-19 symptoms in the three months following their SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Notably, nearly 14% of participants did not return to work within three months of COVID-19 infection. Those with five or more symptoms were more than twice as likely to not return to work as those with no symptoms.

“We found that having five or more symptoms three months after infection was strongly associated with not returning to work,” noted Venkatesh. “And if we compare the rates observed in this study with the national population, that could mean that as many as 2 million people are unemployed due to post-COVID illness.”

This result is particularly alarming considering that the average age of participants in this study was only about 40 years.

“This has a huge economic impact,” Venkatesh said. “It also has an impact on individuals in terms of their own income security and their ability to provide for themselves and their families.”

Meeting the need for support measures

While economic relief measures were quickly implemented at the beginning of the pandemic, the economic and personal costs of Long COVID remain largely ignored.

As public health officials and lawmakers weigh the long-term health and economic impacts of Covid-19 and Long COVID, Venkatesh stressed the urgent need to review disability policies to ease the transition to work for people who are unable to return to their previous jobs due to their Long COVID symptoms.

“Given the millions of people who have contracted COVID-19 in the United States and the millions of people reporting ongoing symptoms, this is not a small problem,” Venkatesh said. “So major interventions are needed.”

The importance of awareness about Long COVID

As we continue to grapple with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, raising awareness about Long COVID is critical.

Many people are unaware of the potential long-term effects of a viral illness, which can include fatigue, difficulty concentrating and breathing difficulties.

Awareness campaigns aimed at both the public and healthcare providers can help ensure early detection of the signs and symptoms of long-Covid disease.

This awareness can lead to timely interventions, support and resources for those affected and ultimately a better understanding of this condition and its impact on the workforce and society as a whole.

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