A recently published document provides a timely update on the epidemiology, burden and policy actions on Long Covid
On May 20, 2020, Italian researcher Elisa Perego first used #LongCovid on social media to describe her own experience resulting from COVID-19.
Five years later, Long COVID remains a significant global health and policy challenge. By 2023, an estimated 400 million people worldwide had experienced Long COVID, representing 6% of adults and 1% of children. The economic toll is immense, with global costs estimated at $3.7 trillion in 2022 alone. Yet, policy and research responses have lagged.
END-VOC contributes data to global study
END-VOC has used data from its different cohorts across the world to further understand risk factors and prevalence of Long Covid. Importantly, END-VOC researchers provided cohort data to the Global Burden of Disease team at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) for modelling and analysis of the impact of different virus variants.
In a short document addressed to policy makers, the END-VOC consortium provides a timely update on the epidemiology, burden and policy recommendations for Long Covid.
The document points out that, while there is a lower —but still considerable— number of new Long Covid cases over time, people living with the condition are substantially impacted and policy and recognition are important. Furthermore, Long Covid is one of many post-acute infection syndromes (PAIS) that require further research to improve diagnosis and treatment. It warns that the next pandemic will likely be caused by another respiratory virus, and that we must be prepared for the possibility of another PAIS.
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