Long COVID symptoms could also be stopping as many as 4.1 million people from working, in line with a recent study from the Brookings Institution.

The study bumped up the number of individuals out of labor as a result of the virus disorder greater than twice earlier estimates of 1.6 million full-time employees – a undeniable fact that may very well be key in solving labor shortages.

By 4 recent questions on long COVID from the Census Household Pulse Survey, Brookings Institution nonresident senior fellow Katie Bach said that the impact from long COVID could “worsen over time if the U.S. doesn’t take the obligatory policy actions.”

In keeping with Bach, about 16 million Americans aged 18 to 65 have long COVID, with 2 to 4 million of those people out of labor as a result of their symptoms. Lost wages for these individuals are around $170 billion a yr and potentially skyward of $230 billion, she said.

But what’s more startling is the unknown reason why people get long COVID and how one can treat the condition that may linger for months, then go away, after which come back.

Symptoms of long COVID vary by person but can include tiredness, malaise, fever, shortness of breath, cough, heart palpitations, headache, sleep problems, dizziness, change in taste or smell, depression, or anxiety, amongst several others, in line with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“With 16.3 million working-age Americans afflicted and annual wage losses totaling nearly $200 billion, long COVID is already a meaningful drag on U.S. economic performance and household financial health. And absent intervention, the situation is more likely to worsen,” Bach said, adding that the “government should take the specter of long COVID as seriously because the numbers show it to be…”