The European Commission is stepping up to combat long COVID with a new €2 million initiative announced Tuesday. Affecting 36 million Europeans in the pandemic's first 3 years, the chronic condition has drained EU economies by 0.3% of GDP through lost productivity – equivalent to billions vanishing from paychecks 💸.
Teaming up with the WHO and OECD, the project will:
🔍 Create Europe's first standardized definition of long COVID
📊 Build a real-time health surveillance network
🤝 Connect doctors across borders to share treatment insights
💡 Develop clinical guidelines for all 27 EU countries
A new patient-professional task force will amplify lived experiences, while researchers map the condition's societal ripple effects – from strained healthcare systems to career disruptions 📉. \"This is about turning unknowns into action plans,\" says an EC spokesperson.
