Almost 2 million people in the UK are estimated to be living with long COVID – after-effects of COVID that can persist for months or even years after the initial infection.
Common symptoms include fatigue, breathlessness, muscle and joint pain, cognitive impairment and sleep disruption. People with long COVID also have a higher risk of developing serious heart and lung problems, stroke and blood clots compared to those who have not previously been diagnosed with COVID.
Studies from multiple countries have found that long COVID is linked to an increased likelihood of not working. For example, US research found long COVID was associated with 23% higher odds of being unemployed and 16% lower odds of working full-time (25% for those with cognitive symptoms).
