What will be the most significant consequence of long COVID?
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Long COVID can cause multisystem health issues that can last anywhere from months to years. We asked Farha S. Ikramuddin, MD, MPH, assistant professor in the department of rehabilitation medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School, what the most significant consequence of long COVID will be moving forward.
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Fifteen million Americans are estimated to have long COVID syndrome. The average age of a long hauler is estimated to be 40 years. The syndrome is poorly understood in its pathogenesis, long-term impact and, consequently, its treatment.
Some have assumed it is a functional disorder. The main symptoms of severe fatigue and brain fog rob the patients of a quality of life and, ultimately, their ability to return to work. Although those who survived the hospitalization exhibit visible deficits and disability, those who did not need to be admitted are far more in numbers, invisible to the health care system because of the lack of objective findings. There are no established diagnostic tests or biomarkers to confirm the diagnosis.
The number of long haulers who are unable to return to work or on disability is currently unknown. In one study published in JAMA, one in 10 health care workers had at least one moderate to severe symptom at 8 months following initial infection. The most significant impact of long COVID will be the effect it will have on our workforce in the coming years. Unless treated adequately, it will rob us of educated, trained and skilled workers from returning to their jobs in a meaningful way.
- Reference:
- Haverall S, et al. JAMA. 2021;doi:10.1001/jama.2021.5612.
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