Long COVID contributes to a tight job market

I wrote this two weeks ago but forgot to post it in the blog, so if it sounds like old news, it kind of is.

The lingering effects of COVID-19 have driven an estimated 4,000 people out of New Hampshire’s workforce and led around 5,300 more to reduce their hours, according to a new study from the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute.

“Long-COVID is not just a public health concern, but an economic one,” said Jessica Williams, lead author of the analysis, in a prepared statement.

While the affected numbers are not a significant portion of the state’s workforce – estimated at 773,000 by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – they have an extensive ripple effect, the report said. “Many workers who remain employed despite symptoms could contribute to lower productivity and may create additional hidden costs for employers and the broader economy. Caregivers who leave the workforce to support family members with long-COVID further amplify the economic strain.”

Any loss of productive workers is a concern in New Hampshire’s tight labor market.

The report said the study emphasized the need to be open to changes that help such people stay employed: “Expanded employer accommodations such as flexible hours and remote work can help ensure that Granite State workers with long-COVID are able to remain in the labor force and contribute to the state’s economy.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines anybody who had the SARS-CoV-2 infection and then suffers from any of a number of symptosn for at least three months as having long COVID. It said the symptoms can last for months or years and are still being studied.

According to the Fiscal Institute report, a CDC analysis said about one in four (26.8 percent) New Hampshire residents who had COVID-19 at any point since the pandemic began developed long-COVID symptoms. The rate is not declining, either: an average of 6.5 percent of state residents said they were experiencing long-COVID symptoms at any given time in 2024, which was similar to the average 6.7 percent in 2022.

“The persistent impact on New Hampshire’s workforce underscores the potential benefits of policies that support affected workers, including expanded assistance for individuals with disabilities, workplace accommodations, and long-term investments in public health infrastructure. Addressing these challenges would likely help sustain economic growth and mitigate the impacts of long-COVID on the workforce,” Williams said in a release.

The full report can be seen at nhfpi.org.