Long COVID

As many as 23 million people in the U.S. have developed Long COVID, or ongoing health conditions resulting from a COVID-19 infection. Long COVID can qualify as a disability when symptoms substantially limit one or more life activities, including employment and education. Youth and young adults with a Long COVID disability may now need assistance understanding their disability, understanding their employment and education rights and navigating systems of support. States have taken several approaches to support youth experiencing Long COVID disability (as either their first identified disability or in addition to an existing disability).

Understanding Long COVID

Long COVID – also known as long-haul COVID, post-acute COVID, post-COVID conditions and chronic COVID – refers to a range of new, returning or ongoing physical and/or mental health problems people who have been infected with COVID-19 experience four or more weeks following their initial infection. Long COVID can present as different types and combinations of physical and mental health problems, including:

• • • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath;
    • Tiredness or fatigue;
    • Difficulty thinking or concentrating (i.e., brain fog);
    • Sleep problems;
    • Headache;
    • Joint or muscle pain;
    • Anxiety and depression;
    • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD);
    • Psychosis; and
    • Dizziness upon standing (i.e., lightheadedness).

Long COVID as a Disability

In some people, Long COVID can be severe enough that it substantially limits one or more major life activities (such as employment and education), therefore qualifying as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Individuals whose Long COVID symptoms meet the criteria of a disability are therefore protected from discrimination and entitled to workplace and education rights and accommodations. Some examples of these accommodations include:

• • • Altered break and work schedules for people experiencing tiredness or fatigue.
    • Utilization of a service animal trained to stabilize employees experiencing dizziness.
    • Relocation of an employee’s workstation to a quieter location, for those who have difficulty concentrating.
    • Job restructuring to minimize the amount of walking for an employee experiencing difficulty breathing.
    • Remote work options for people experiencing anxiety or depression, to help them better manage their mental health conditions.

Supporting Youth and Young Adults with a Long COVID Disability

While Long COVID appears to be somewhat less common in youth and young adults, they can still experience Long COVID symptoms. Long COVID can be a youth’s first identified disability, exacerbate an existing disability or be experienced in addition to a pre-existing disability. In any of these circumstances, youth and young adults who have Long COVID that meets the definition of a disability may now need assistance:

• • • Understanding and managing their disability in educational and workplace settings.
    • Understanding their workplace rights and protections.
    • Understanding their educational rights, including how individualized education programs (IEPs) and Section 504 Accommodation Plans may support them.
    • Initiating the IEP and/or 504 Plan evaluation process.
    • Accessing disability supports in postsecondary education settings.
    • Disclosing their disability to employers or postsecondary institutions and requesting accommodations.
    • Understanding and connecting to other resources that can help them access education and employment, such as transportation, assistive technology, personal care attendant services, benefits counseling and Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Accounts.
    • Understanding processes and resources if they have been denied access to, or experienced discrimination in, education or employment.]

State Approaches to Supporting Youth and Young Adults with a Long COVID Disability

States have developed a variety of policies, programs and resources to support the education, employment and transition needs of youth and young adults with a Long COVID disability. Visit CAPE-Youth’s Mental Health page for more information on how states are addressing the general mental health needs of youth with disabilities throughout the pandemic, not just those experiencing mental health symptoms associated with Long COVID.  Here are some of the Long COVID efforts.

Educating the public about Long COVID symptoms, causes and treatment.