The OECD report "The Long Shadow of the Pandemic" examines the burden of Long COVID across OECD countries, and its continued impact on patients, health systems and economies. Long COVID, a post-acute infection syndrome in which symptoms persist well beyond the initial COVID-19 illness, is a novel and complex condition and remains a challenge for health systems to address.
This webinar marks the launch of the OECD report which provides updated international estimates on the economic and human cost of Long COVID. The findings reveal that the condition carries a significant economic toll, driven substantially by indirect costs linked to reduced productivity and workforce exit. The webinar also presents the state-of-play on national policy initiatives to better define, recognise, and manage Long COVID in health systems across OECD countries, highlighting both the progress made and the gaps that remain.
The panel discussion brings together leading economic, clinical and health ministry experts to explore how a clearer understanding of Long COVID's costs and care needs can inform more integrated and patient-centered health policies across OECD countries.