The European Commission is set to launch a €2 million project on Tuesday aimed at addressing the long-term effects of COVID-19, commonly known as long COVID.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), long COVID affected 36 million people across Europe in the first three years of the pandemic. The European Commission estimates that in 2022 alone, long COVID cost the EU economy between 0.2 percent and 0.3 percent of its gross domestic product due to reduced labor supply.
Funded by the EU4Health program and managed by the WHO and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the project seeks to define long COVID more clearly, develop a comprehensive surveillance system, promote the exchange of information among healthcare professionals, and provide clinical guidance to EU member states.
The initiative also aims to support affected patients and their carers, assess the broader consequences of long COVID, and identify critical research gaps and needs. Additionally, the European Commission will establish a group dedicated to long COVID, allowing professionals and patients to share their experiences and insights.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
