The lingering Covid has pushed millions of people out of the workforce, recent reports say.
About 16 million working-age Americans have long-term Covid, and 2-4 million are out of work due to its ill effects, according to a new report from the Brookings Institution.
Prolonged Covid, defined by health experts as Covid-related symptoms lasting three or more months after infection with the virus, has proven to be a complicated condition. At the moment, it is difficult to track and study as symptoms can vary from individual to individual; they can range from gastrointestinal problems to fatigue and depression.
Other countries have reported similar problems with prolonged Covid affecting employment. In a speech in May, a Bank of England representative attributed the 440,000 contraction in the workforce mainly to "an increase in long-term illness".
What about in Albania? There is currently no data on the impact of prolonged Covid on employment, but it cannot be ruled out as a factor. In a report from October last year, it was estimated at the time that 20,000 people were in the stage of long-term Covid: damage in the form of fibrosis in the lungs, physical disability, mental and nervous disorders, chronic fatigue, depression, etc.
In the first 4 months of 2021, hospitalizations in psychiatric hospital wards increased by 68% compared to the first 4 months of 2020, according to official sources from the Ministry of Health.
Prolonged Covid has been described as a "pandemic within a pandemic", with some studies suggesting that up to 40% of those infected with Covid-19 may have persistent symptoms long after the initial illness.
The most common symptoms of prolonged Covid are:
- tiredness
- shortness of breath
- pain or tightness in the chest
- problems with memory and concentration ("brain fog")
- difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
- heart beat problems
- dizziness
In a recent study , other symptoms were also discovered, such as hair loss, erectile dysfunction, etc.
These data highlight the need to address the long-term impact of Covid on the workforce, which should be followed by new policies, such as more paid time off and other benefits for employees.
