How to support employees with 'Long Covid'

As the pandemic rolls on we are becoming increasingly aware of ‘Long Covid’. Long Covid is when a person experiences Covid-19 symptoms and the effects of the condition for a prolonged period; generally regarded as 12 weeks or longer.

The Office for National Statistics shows that 1 in 5 people who test positive for Covid-19 have symptoms that last five weeks or longer, and that 1 in 10 people experience symptoms for 12 weeks or more. There are also people that have experienced severe symptoms for nearly a year.

It is important to note a link between physical symptoms of Covid-19 and mental health. A report in the Lancet indicates that nearly 1 in 5 people who get Covid-19 go on to develop a mental health issue such as depression, anxiety or dementia within three months of the diagnosis. A third of patients placed on ventilators develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The symptoms of Long Covid can impact a person’s ability to return to work and to fully function once they are back.

People with Long Covid may experience physical symptoms of fatigue, breathlessness, pain in the chest, joints or muscles and a persistent cough.

The mental health impact includes anxiety, depression and problems sleeping.

Crucially for the workplace symptoms can include brain fog and problems with concentration and memory.

It is essential that employers consider how they will support an employee who is struggling to return to work after Long Covid.

Employer actions

Employer actions to assist in a successful, planned return to work include:

• Hold a welfare meeting before the employee returns
• Develop an individual plan for the employee
• Offer flexible arrangements such as flexible hours or reduced hours to help the employee manage symptoms such as fatigue
• Offer phased returns to gradually build up to full time work
• Monitor the employee’s absence and look out for trends – address these to prevent a rise in absenteeism
• Conduct return to work interviews after each absence
• Follow up with the employee to find out if they are struggling and offer support
• Direct employees to outside health services that can support both physical symptoms and mental health symptoms
• If you offer health or wellbeing programs encourage the employee to access these
• Allow the employee time to access remote services for mental health and wellbeing which will reduce the pressure on the employee

 It is critical that employers have systems to help identify someone suffering with ongoing symptoms to intervene and help them back on the road to recovery.

Long Covid-19 NHS resources can be found here:

https://www.yourcovidrecovery.nhs.uk/your-wellbeing/family-friends-and-carers/

https://www.yourcovidrecovery.nhs.uk/

Source: Gavin Parrott