Abstract
Covid-19 can cause longer-term changes in health, collectively known as Long Covid. With only four years of follow-up time to observe this evolving new virus we cannot yet see the full picture of Long Covid, but its impacts are already substantial and measurable in individuals, sectors, and societies. Evidence consistently shows that Long Covid is common, affects all ages, and frequently results in prolonged illness that can be disabling. It occurs with first infections and reinfections and follows all virus variants. There is currently no cure, making prevention critical.
Three urgent recommendations to the NZ Government are:
1. Identify a proportionate response by conducting a comprehensive Long Covid risk assessment;
2. Rapidly reduce infection and reinfection rates by ensuring that public settings are safer to access; and
3. Expand Covid-19 vaccine eligibility and coverage (eg, to younger age groups) to benefit from the demonstrated ability of vaccines to reduce the risk of Long Covid.