Long COVID predicted to cost OECD economies $135 billion a year

The pandemic might be over, but new research indicates long COVID is likely to reverberate across OECD economies, costing up to $135 billion a year over the next decade.

The global forum’s new analysis shows the direct health care costs of long COVID combined with the wider effect of people leaving the workforce and lower productivity will have a lasting impact. Economic growth could be reduced by as much as 0.2%, according to the OECD, because the virus continues to spread, swelling the ranks of people with long COVID.

Scientific understanding around the condition is still developing as researchers work to help patients whose COVID symptoms do not subside or who even develop new ones months after the initial infection. Research has found that long COVID can affect multiple organs. While some patients improve, others struggle with symptoms such as fatigue and brain fog for years.

Some people are unable to work, require changes to their jobs or become less productive, with effects beyond just the person’s life or the health care system.

Only six countries have formal pathways for treating the illness, leaving patients and doctors without formal guidelines, the OECD found. Training for health care professionals needs to be a priority to improve diagnosis and care, it said.