A Sunday NPR Weekend Edition piece found that at least 4 million Americans don’t work because of Long COVID. They used to be productive workers, but now, they don’t have the energy to work as much. Common symptoms include brain fog, fatigue, fever, indigestion, and elevated body temperature. The 4 million figure is based on data from the Census Bureau, the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, and Lancet, one of the world’s top medical journals.
One possible solution would be to enforce the Americans with Disabilities Act. Such a situation would qualify as a disability under the law, and employers would be required to make accommodations, such as lighter workloads, more flexibility in hours, more work from home, or giving them a different role. These accommodations have to be done individually; durations and symptoms vary widely among individuals. Sometimes, symptoms come and go. Some people may even qualify for Social Security Disability income.
Another solution would be to keep improving access to vaccines. My dad had long COVID symptoms for months, but when he got the Moderna shot, he got better.
Another possible solution would be Basic Income. The object of a Basic Income is not to be a substitute for work, but to eliminate poverty, allow everyone to participate in the economy, and allow people to have a safety net when things happen through no fault of their own. This is why we advocate a $1,000 a month UBI.
Yes, we know that certain people may misuse it. We all know the type. But God created each of us, including Adam and Eve, knowing that we would all sin and fall short of His glory. By the same token, should we abolish police because certain cops misuse their authority? Should we abolish teachers because certain teachers take advantage of students in ways that traumatize them for life? Should we reject God because certain clergy misuse their pulpits?
The US Department of Labor is soliciting ideas from both employers and workers that would help address Long COVID. You can leave comments at https://longcovidatwork.ideascale.com/ until the middle of August.
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