Four years into the COVID-19 pandemic, and millions of people are still getting sick or dealing with chronic, debilitating conditions brought on by the initial infection. Employers may have to ask themselves if their benefits are ready to meet a new wave of disabled workers.
The CDC estimates that 18 million Americans have suffered from or currently have long COVID, a set of symptoms lasting three months or longer after they caught the virus. These symptoms can include anything from extreme fatigue, dizziness and brain fog to heart palpitations, gastrointestinal issues and mobility impairments. Research from think tank Brookings suggests that around 500,000 Americans were missing from the workforce due to long COVID in 2022 alone.
