10/12/2024 Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
The Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development deplores the fact that the millions of patients suffering from “long Covid” have become “a huge blind spot”, as policymakers and the healthcare sector focus on other health issues. It regrets that no solution has yet been identified to ensure patients’ recovery, as research is still in its infancy.
The report by Carmen Leyte (Spain, EPP/CD), adopted by the committee on 6 December in Strasbourg, explains that ‘long Covid’ is characterised by “the continuation of symptoms or the appearance of new symptoms three months after the initial infection, and the persistence of these symptoms for at least two months without explanation”. It underlines that this chronic disease manifests itself through symptoms such as chronic fatigue, neurological disorders and other physical and mental complications, and can be massively disabling, manifesting itself with visible or invisible disabilities.
Faced with this worrying situation, the committee proposed a series of measures, advocating “a human rights-based approach in the fight against ‘long Covid’”. In particular, it called on member states to “adopt public policies coordinated at national level” to meet the patients’ medical, social and professional needs and guarantee access to healthcare. To this end, member states should set up transdisciplinary centres of expertise.
Member states should also ensure sufficient funding for biomedical research, so that effective treatments are available to reduce long-term disability. In addition, the committee believes that a clearer and common definition of “long Covid” could improve clinical management and better target policies.
According to the adopted draft resolution, “long Covid” should fall within the scope of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) “in order to allow access to social security, disability benefits and compensatory aids”.
Finally, the parliamentarians proposed promoting flexible policies for patients in the workplace and in educational establishments, and running awareness-raising campaigns in partnership with civil society to reduce stigmatisation.