Why Long Covid Could Cost The U.S. $3.7 Trillion

Long Covid is not just changing the lives of those affected, but it is proving to have a significant impact on the American labor force and economy. About a quarter of the roughly 16.3 million working-age Americans currently suffering from long Covid are out of work, and according to one estimate, long Covid could cost America as much as $3.7 trillion. Many of those suffering are either running out of disability insurance through their employers or getting denied Social Security Disability Insurance or SSDI - an effect that’s expected to be long-lasting. In December 2021, Congress allocated $1.15 billion to the National Institutes of Health to study the long term effects of the disease. But many experts are saying that is not nearly enough.

Produced by: Emily Lorsch
Edited by: Erin Black
Senior Managing Producer: Tala Hadavi
Graphics by: Jason Reginato and Christina Locopo
Additional Cameras: Drew Hayes and Carlos Waters

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
2:16 Disabled America
4:28 Disability insurance
8:16 Economic impact
11:59 Cloudy future

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Why Long Covid Could Cost The U.S. $3.7 Trillion