Rising rates of anxiety and depression caused by COVID-19 lockdowns could sap up to $7.4 billion from the NSW economy by 2025, a report suggests.
The costing comes as an estimated 171,615 more people in NSW reported mental health issues consistent with depression and anxiety in 2021 that were linked to lockdowns.
In 2021, NSW entered a lockdown amid the spread of the Delta variant, with restrictions continuing for nearly four months in Sydney.
