The government has been urged to set up a compensation scheme for frontline workers who are suffering from the long-term effects of Covid-19.
MPs in the all-party parliamentary group on coronavirus said “long Covid” should be recognised as an occupational disease, and that some frontline staff who have been exposed to the virus have been unable to return to full-time work.
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Layla Moran, chair of the APPG, said: “Long Covid is the hidden health crisis of the pandemic, and it is likely to have an enormous impact on society for many years to come.
“When it comes to frontline NHS, care and key workers, they were specifically asked to go to work and save lives while everyone else was asked to stay at home.
“They were exposed to an increased level of risk of catching the virus, often without adequate levels of PPE… They are the true heroes of the pandemic and, sadly, many have developed the debilitating effects of long Covid, meaning that they are unable to return to full-time work.”
Countries including Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany and Spain have formally recognised long Covid as an occupational disease.
Those suffering with long Covid can often experience symptoms including fatigue, loss of taste or smell, respiratory problems and cardiovascular issues for weeks and months after becoming infected with Covid-19 – even those who experienced only mild coronavirus symptoms.
Around 390,000 people in the UK are thought to have long Covid.
Moran, along with around 60 MPs who have signed the letter to the Prime Minister, called for a “symptoms-based” national register to document how many people in the UK are living with long Covid, which would help estimate the cost of delivering a compensation scheme.
The campaign has also been backed by the British Medical Association and members of the House of Lords.
“While the government and employers must increase efforts to protect staff now and stop them contracting Covid-19 in the first place, for some it is already too late,” said Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chair of the British Medical Association council.
“So it is only right that ministers urgently provide a compensation scheme to support healthcare staff and their families who are now living with the devastating after-effects of Covid-19.”
A spokesperson for the Department for Health and Social Care said: “We are acutely aware of the indiscriminate and lasting impact Covid-19 can have. This should be a clear reminder to everyone that Covid-19 can affect anyone and they should continue to follow the guidance and think hands, face and space to get this virus under control.
“We are grateful for the hard work and dedication of our health and social care staff throughout the pandemic and it is important that staff are treated fairly, and employers make full use of the existing sick pay provisions on offer to support staff.
“We are continuing to work with our outstanding scientists to improve our collective understanding of the impact long-Covid has on people of all ages – making sure we deliver the best support possible to affected individuals.”
Sick pay support for NHS staff on national terms and conditions is set at up to six months full salary, followed by up to six months of half their salary, depending on length of service. Temporary Covid sick pay for NHS staff is also in place.
The majority of frontline care workers, many of whom may also be suffering from long Covid symptoms, are employed in the private sector, so will be covered by different sick pay policies.
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More than 60 specialist clinics have been opened across England to support individuals experiencing long Covid.
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10 comments
It is about time long covid is recognised and funding made available to investigate the condition and support people living with it. I caught covid last April 2020 and was not hospitalised, so thought I was one of the lucky ones. Initially I thought I “just couldn’t shake it off”. But am now 10 months in with ongoing symptoms, with new ones appearing during those 10 months. I my experience it appears that GPS and surgeries need ongoing guidance with what is available to help us. I spoke to a locum at my surgery on 16/02/21 who had never heard of long covid clinics and admitted that I was the first person he had seen with this problem, but assured me I would be referred. Time will tell if that happens, so in the meantime I have to try and manage this condition myself. I have to admit and I did say this to the gp when I spoke to him that I feel I have been abandoned. Thank you
My wife was in itu for 7 weeks and that’s including her ECMO treatment. She is a nurse and still recovering until now. She had covid during the first wave.
She is still suffering from pain and tightness on her throat area due to long intubation and tracheostomy. She easily feels tired, with unexplained upper back pains and palpitations.
She is now receiving just half of her pay since it’s more than 6 months already of not working. We have a mortgage and bills to pay.
The proposed compensation will be a huge help to assist with our failing finances. I hope that this will be realized soon before we end up experiencing more devastations from the effect of my wife’s fight with covid.
Deeply sorry for you Gilbert and your wife this financial situation you find yourselves in.I’m a care assistant in a hospital great team of people I got covid in the first wave suffer the effects of long covid shortness of breath fatigue dizzy spells but fortunately I can stil work.I sincerely hope your wife’s condition improves and that you are compensated.If I win the lottery I will help you out got my lucky dip ticket.All front line workers who got covid should be compensated those who didn’t given a bonus.
All NHS staff who or off sick with covid illness receive their normal full pay for the duration of lockdown. The absence does not count towards sickness record or disciplinary procedure. Contact HR and wages to nakes dure her sickness is registerdd as covid on thier system, make a complaint and give 20 days to correct the deduction from wages and issue arrears
I work in a school as a school business manager. I contracted Covid 19 within 3 weeks of returning to work after working from home. I have been diagnosed with Long Covid. I have been on statutory sick pay since Dec 2020 and cannot afford my bills. I am on my own so no partner’s salary to fall back on. I do not know what to do. I have had no support from school. I feel completely abandoned.
I got covid in the first wave last year along with most of my base team.I suffer from shortness of breath and fatigue and dizzy spells I work on a busy medical assessment unit.People say to me oh your looking well I have to work like most no choice.Even if long covid is recognised in the uk how can I medically prove I have it if my sats and observations are normal I suspect I will never see dollar one compensation.
I got Covid in October 2020 still unable to go to work due to tiredness,sore body and diagnosis with long Covid and I am just getting SSP pay ,I am a nurse working in nursing home
I contracted covid whilst working on my ward that was in December 2020, but believe I had it summer last year as well! But my test back then was negative, I have been diagnosed with long covid, I have also been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, every day is painful, apparently by contracting covid has brought on fibromyalgia, I have been lucky as I was not hospitalised so I am one of the lucky ones, but it has changed my life I have had to give in my notice on that ward now as unable to work there, I have not yet returned to employment. What do we do? We need help ASAP it’s bad enough having to live with it, stress doesn’t help. I do wish you all the best
I am an OT and work as front line in a hospital environment. I had Covid in March 2020. My symptoms at the time were not officially recognised. Extreme headaches, loss of smell and taste, dizziness, body aches, brain fog, memory loss and impaired cognition. No cough. Therefore no isolation period to rest. All those symptoms persist still. Smell is back but changed. Things smell different and somethings can’t smell at all. Same with taste. However I am now also suffering with heart problems, acute anxiety and depression. I have been diagnosed with acute Covid back in January. Have now been off work for 43 days. Neurologist found changes in my brain. More investigations needed. No support from work. I need to be on full salary as I am single mother of two children. Today received a letter saying from 4/06 my salary will drop to 50%. So I have no choice but to go back to work. No idea how I will cope.
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