Supporting the goals and ideals of “Long COVID Awareness Month”.

Supporting the goals and ideals of “Long COVID Awareness Month”.

Whereas long COVID is a serious illness that can affect the functions of multiple organs in an individual and can last for months and years after an individual first contracts COVID-19;

Whereas over 400,000,000 individuals worldwide have been impacted by long COVID;

Whereas incidence of long COVID remain high, even among vaccinated populations and with more recent variant strains;

Whereas each additional COVID infection contracted by an individual increases the risk that the individual will experience long COVID, even among those individuals who are fully vaccinated;

Whereas long COVID patients experience poor quality of life, extreme fatigue, and functional limitations;

Whereas individuals with long COVID are limited in their ability to work;

Whereas the burden of long COVID is projected to cost the United States economy $3,700,000,000,000 over a 5-year period due to reduced quality of life, increased medical spending, and billions of work hours lost;

Whereas long COVID disproportionately impacts women and Hispanic/Latine, Black, transgender, and disabled individuals;

Whereas there is currently no specific treatment for long COVID; and

Whereas the month of March has been recognized as “Long COVID Awareness Month”: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) supports the goals and ideals of “Long COVID Awareness Month”;

(2) recognizes the importance of bringing awareness to the challenges of living with long COVID; and

(3) expresses support for more medical research on the causes of and treatments for long COVID.