Long Covid

Experts estimate between 7.9 and 23.8 million Americans have been infected with “long Covid.”

Estimates of long Covid infections per 100,000 population

Cumulative, February 1, 2020 - April 10, 2022

Source: AAPM&R Dashboard, Census Bureau: Population Estimates. Notes: This map uses Post-Acute Sequelae of Sars-Cov-2 (PASC, or “long Covid”) estimates at 20% of the surviving Covid-19 cases (confirmed cases less deaths).

Though the number of severe Covid cases has declined since Omicron peaked in early 2022, experts warn that “long Covid” may impact anywhere between 10% and 30% of Covid-19 patients, or 7.9 to 23.8 million Americans. Long Covid has a range of symptoms that do not necessarily correspond to severe Covid-19 cases.¹ Medical experts are still understanding the diagnosis, but recent studies show that long Covid largely affects immune and circulatory systems, as well as the brain and lungs.^2,3,4,5 This can result in additional sickness, exhaustion, brain fog, and shortness of breath. 10 out of 12 Southern states have among the highest rates of possible long Covid infections.

The potential impacts of long Covid are concerning. While long Covid has been added as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act, long Covid patients struggle to get the care, rest, and financial resources they need to fully recover. One Louisville resident was denied full disability benefits multiple times after 2 years of sustained long Covid symptoms.⁶ As employers struggle to find workers, long Covid could account for a sizable portion of unfilled jobs and, without better care, more people could fall out of the workforce and into poverty.⁷

1. “Studies show long-haul COVID-19 afflicts 1 in 4 COVID-19 patients, regardless of severity”. UC Davis Health. March, 2021. https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlines/studies-show-long-haul-covid-19-afflicts-1-in-4-covid-19-patients-regardless-of-severity/2021/03

2. “Immunological dysfunction persists for 8 months following initial mild-to-moderate SARS-CoV-2 infection”. Phetsouphanh, Darley, Wilson, Howe, Munier, Patel, Juno, Burrell, Kent, Dore, Kelleher, and Matthews. Nature Immunology. January, 2022. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41590-021-01113-x

3. “Persistent Exertional Intolerance After COVID-19, Insights From Invasive Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing”. Singh, Joseph, Heerdt, Cullinan, Lutchmansingh, Gulati,  Possick, Systrom, and Waxman. January, 2022. https://journal.chestnet.org/article/S0012-3692(21)03635-7/fulltext

4. “Nervous system consequences of COVID-19”. Spudich, Nath. Science.org. January, 2022. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abm2052

5. “The Investigation of Pulmonary Abnormalities using Hyperpolarised Xenon Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients with Long-COVID”. Grist, Collier, Walters, Chen, Eid, Laws, Matthews, Jacob, Cross, Eves, Durant, Mcintyre, Thompson, Schulte, Raman, Robbins, Wild, Fraser, and Gleeson. MedRxiv. February, 2022. https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.01.22269999v1

6. “Covid long-haulers face grueling fights for disability benefits”. Rowland. The Washington Post. March, 2022. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/03/08/long-covid-disability-benefits/

7. “Is ‘long Covid’ worsening the labor shortage?” Bach. Brookings. January, 2022. https://www.brookings.edu/research/is-long-covid-worsening-the-labor-shortage/