Allowing HIV negative, SARS-Cov-2 individuals to develop what are AIDS Defining Illnesses is cruel. Folks drew the wrong parallels and ensured it would happen. Too late to do the right thing now.

Here is our joint press release with Long Covid Support 🌍 & Covid Action (Now!) sent out after the most recent Office for National Statistics (ONS) data (for England &Scotland not Wales)
“Our government consistently fails to consider Long Covid when discussing the long-term health of the country”

longcovidsos.org/post/why-is-th…

For the latest insights on the macroeconomic impact of #LongCovid in the UK, read our report launched March 2024 which explores the wider economic impacts of Long Covid on jobs, households and the NHS no long-term healthcare funding commitments are made.👉bit.ly/3xv0303

We overuse the metaphor of the boiling frog and the slow-mo car crash and all that. But this really is SUCH a massive problem we seem to just blithely ignore.

NHS Confederation Chair Victor Adebowale on Question Time:
Q.Does Britain have a sick note culture?
A. No… It’s cruel…2m people have #LongCovid , a recognised illness as a result of #Covid …very rarely met someone who doesn’t want to work… We need to stop using performative language.”

“As Long Covid Support said, the ONS figures are clear on one thing in particular: that the “pandemic is not over””

#LongCovid
#LongCovid RuinsLives
#CureLongCovid
#CovidIsNotOver

“If five years ago, we were to imagine that a completely new disease, which for some can cause medium- to long-term, and potentially disabling symptoms in approximately 3% of the population, which is what the new figures suggest, we would be enormously concerned.”
#LongCovid

- 87.3% had LC symptoms at least 12 wk previously
- 71.1% 1 yr previously
- 51.3% at least 2 yr previously
- 30.6% at least 3 yr previously during wave 4 (ending 7 Mar 24)

Long Covid is not a historical problem, it continues to claim new victims
We need preventative action

Long Covid isn't mild, ability to do day to day activities is
- adversely affected for 1.5m
- limited a lot for 381k

These are predominantly working age people so this will affect the labour market

It's not 'sick note culture' Rishi - it's Long Covid!

#TreatLongCovid

#LongCovid continues to impact and with every infection being a potential risk #cleantheair and a programme of other sensible mitigations doesn't seem unreasonable