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Responding to new figures published this morning (Thursday) on Long Covid by the Office for National Statistics, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:

“Two million people in the UK are now estimated to have Long Covid, with those workers in health and social care and education most likely to be affected.

“Long Covid is affecting the day-to-day activities of 1.4 million – and 807,000 first contracted Covid-19 at least 12 months ago.

“Many people with Long Covid are classed as disabled under the Equality Act. So, legally their bosses must introduce reasonable adjustments to support them and make sure they don’t face discrimination.

“But not everyone has these vital protections. Ministers must urgently recognise Long Covid as a disability to make sure that all working people with the condition are formally protected by employment law.

“With millions of people now experiencing Long Covid, we can’t afford to just wait and see what happens. The government must introduce these legal protections now.

“That’s the least we owe to the key workers who kept our country going through the pandemic and now have Long Covid as a result.”

The TUC is calling on government to recognise Covid-19 as an occupational disease. This would entitle employees to protection and compensation if they contracted the virus while working.

Editors note

  • About the TUC: The Trades Union Congress (TUC) exists to make the working world a better place for everyone. We bring together the 5.5 million working people who make up our 48 member unions. We support unions to grow and thrive, and we stand up for everyone who works for a living.
  • Definition of disabled: In the Equality Act, a disability means a physical or a mental condition which has a substantial and long-term impact on your ability to do normal day to day activities. Substantial means more than minor or trivial and long-term means lasting longer than 12 months or likely to last longer than 12 months. There are certain specified conditions which mean that people are considered as disabled under the act from the point of diagnosis. These are cancer, HIV infection or multiple sclerosis (MS).

Contacts:

TUC press office 
media@tuc.org.uk  

020 7467 1248 

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