After the formal end of the COVID-19 public health emergency in May, attention in Congress has largely been focused on priorities other than the pandemic. Thankfully, many Americans have been able to return to their pre-pandemic daily routines.
But for some, normality still feels a long way off. According to estimates, 1 in 20 Americans may have long COVID — the diagnosis given to individuals living with the residual effects of COVID-19. Americans diagnosed with long COVID report a wide array of symptoms, including fatigue, nerve tingling, brain fog, gastrointestinal issues and dizziness. Some have very minor, nondebilitating symptoms, while others have symptoms that are severe enough to keep them out of the workforce.
We served in the U.S. Senate during some of the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic and, somewhere along the way, caught COVID-19. Today, we all live with long COVID of varying severity levels, and we’re openly discussing it because we know there are a lot of people who are having similar experiences. Long COVID impacts Americans of all ages and races, and women are nearly twice as likely to report long COVID symptoms as men. We also know that rural communities and Hispanic and Black Americans were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and that disparities in access to quality health care likely translate into disparities in diagnosis and treatment of long COVID. There is also an ongoing stigma against sharing a long COVID diagnosis. You very well may have a friend, neighbor or family member living with long COVID — even if they do so privately.
But whether their experience is public or private, minor or major, too many Americans have experienced long COVID’s pernicious effects. While we still have much to learn about long COVID, a growing body of research paints a worrisome picture, and more needs to be done to help understand, prevent and treat long COVID. We offer four basic steps to respond to the challenge.
First, long COVID continues to deserve attention from public and private sector researchers. We were pleased that Congress recently directed $1.15 billion in federal funding to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to better understand the long-term effects of COVID-19. Private companies are testing existing and novel therapies against long COVID. Congress should, at once, prioritize funding for research to better understand long COVID while scrutinizing NIH’s work for efficiency, urgency and transparency.
Second, Congress needs to better understand and tackle long COVID’s impact on return to work. Last year, the Government Accountability Office estimated that 1 million Americans might be out of work due to long COVID. The Brookings Institution assessment was twice that, with a prediction that long COVID’s economic drag could approach $200 billion annually. We must do more to provide resources to employees and employers to support individuals struggling with long COVID. This is critical for the health of each American with long COVID and for the health of our economy.
Third, we have to ensure that those treating long COVID patients have the insights and tools they need to provide quality care. That is why in fiscal 2023, Congress directed $10 million in federal funding to help providers offer critical care to long COVID patients, including by improving long COVID clinics and sharing best practices. Congress must build on this work so that every provider has the ability to support those living with long COVID.
Fourth, we must ensure that every American with long COVID can get the care they need. This starts by making sure providers are working under the same definition of long COVID. Attention must be especially focused on the uninsured, underinsured and those facing barriers in access to care.
As we look to improve federal research on long COVID and access to resources and education for people living with it, we urge Congress to enact the Long COVID Support Act, recently introduced by Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.).
Long COVID continues to impact millions of Americans. It does not care where you live, how much money you make, or if you are a Republican or a Democrat. As Congress rightfully seeks to turn the page on the COVID-19 pandemic, it should not take its eye off the ball on long COVID.
Tim Kaine is a Democratic U.S. Senator from Virginia. Todd Young is a Republican U.S. Senator from Indiana. Jim Inhofe is a former Republican U.S. Senator from Oklahoma.