Many of us have gone on to live healthy, normal lives following the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, for those individuals battling long COVID, a cycle of chronic fatigue, brain fog, and persistent health issues has become the new norm. This leads to an important question: is long COVID a disability? Here’s everything you need to know.
Also known as post-COVID-19 syndrome, long COVID is a term used to describe chronic COVID symptoms and other associated conditions that last for months and years following a COVID-19 infection. These symptoms can vary widely, but the most common include extreme tiredness, breathlessness, heart palpitations, dizziness, brain fog, and ongoing pain.Â
Long COVID can affect anyone, regardless of age or health. However, women, people from poorer areas, those previously hospitalised with the condition, individuals with underlying health conditions, older adults, and unvaccinated people are all more likely to experience long COVID.
Recent research shows that while some people recover from long COVID over time, others continue to struggle with it for years. According to the University of Oxford, around 1.8% of the UK population is currently living with the condition, and over 70% of those people have had symptoms for more than a year.
It can be. It comes down to the impact of long COVID on the individual, and the severity of the condition. The Equality Act 2010 defines a disability as a physical or mental condition that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on a person’s ability to do normal day-to-day activities. “Long-term” means the condition has lasted — or is expected to last — at least 12 months.
For some, long COVID symptoms are severe enough to meet this definition, while others may have a milder form of the condition.
If you’re an employer, it’s important to avoid making too many assumptions about long COVID. Instead, you should focus on how you can support employees and make any adjustments needed to help them do their job.
For those living with long COVID, symptoms can make simple activities much harder than they used to be. Basic tasks like cooking, cleaning, and even getting dressed can feel exhausting due to fatigue, breathlessness, and brain fog.Â
These struggles can become even more pronounced in the workplace. For example:Â
Some individuals with long COVID may not be able to return to work at all, which can cause significant financial and emotional strain. For businesses, this highlights the importance of understanding long COVID and supporting those affected by it.
If you’re living with long COVID and it’s affecting your ability to work, you may be entitled to reasonable adjustments in the workplace. These are changes that help employees manage their symptoms while staying in work.
Examples of reasonable adjustments could include:
Government-backed organisations like ACAS suggest employers should do what they can to support employees instead of spending too much time trying to decipher whether long COVID meets the definition of a disability. They recommend taking a proactive approach — offering adjustments and support as soon as possible.
Your go-to monthly newsletter for creating inclusive environments for neurodivergent talent in the workplace
If long COVID is affecting your ability to work, or you’re struggling to manage daily life, you may be entitled to the following financial support:
If you’re ready to return to work but need support, schemes like Access to Work can provide advice, training, or funding for workplace adjustments. Employers can also seek guidance from ACAS or the Society of Occupational Medicine to ensure they handle Long Covid cases appropriately and in line with current best practices.
If you’re a business owner or manager, it’s really important to look after staff who are negatively impacted by long COVID.
Long COVID affects millions of people across the UK, and by taking proactive steps to support those struggling, you’ll bring out the best in your staff and benefit your business in the long run.Â
So, is long COVID a disability? For some people, it can be. But for businesses, the most important focus is removing barriers to employment and supporting those affected to succeed. If we all take steps to acknowledge each other’s needs and make wellbeing a priority, we can form stronger teams, that are built to last.
Our small but mighty team builds leading-edge software that people love. We pride ourselves on a user-led approach to product design. The voice of the customer shapes what we create and that’s exactly how great assistive tech should be made.
