New government statistics have confirmed what millions of people already knew. Specifically, this was that cases of long Covid across the UK are rampant and ever on the rise – now up to two million people. Of course, for people living the daily realities of this devastating chronic illness especially, the news didn’t come as a surprise.
Long Covid widespread and rising
On Thursday 25 April, the UK government’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) released the results of its ‘Winter Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Study’.
Predictably, these latest figures showed that long Covid cases are soaring. According to the survey, at least two million people – 3.3% – of England and Scotland’s population are currently living with long Covid.
The ONS also broke its data down by age group. In particular, it showed that the percentages for different age demographics self-reporting long Covid ranged from between 1% to 5%. Specifically, it found that long Covid is affecting:
- 1% of people aged 3 to 17
- Over 3% for those aged 18 to 34
- 4% of people aged 35 to 44
- 5% of people aged 45 to 54 – the demographic with the highest percentage of reports.
- Closely following this, 4.9% of 55 to 64 year olds reported long Covid
- Over 3% for those aged 65 to 74
- 2.8% of people aged over 75
Perhaps most significantly, the ONS data estimated that the largest proportion of people in these cases had been living with the devastating chronic illness for over three years.
It detailed that 30.6% – nearly a third – of people had lived with long Covid or over 156 weeks (more than 3 years). On top of this, over 20% have lived with it for over two years – the next highest percentage. Taken together, it shows that at least one million people across England and Scotland are still battling the post-viral fallout from the devastating coronavirus pandemic.
However, the huge number of people living with long Covid didn’t come as a surprise to some. Despite this, the figures did also leave others scratching their heads.
Long Covid – the pandemic is “not over”
Long Covid groups and people living with the post-viral chronic illness took to X to highlight the ramifications of the new statistics.
As Long Covid Support said, the ONS figures are clear on one thing in particular: that the “pandemic is not over”:
New ONS data on Long Covid show that it is getting worse, not better
Now 2m people in England and Scotland, compared with 1.9m in the whole of UK in Mar 23
The pandemic is not over and every day someone contracts an infection which will disable them https://t.co/7fuwlwhVup— Long Covid Support 🌍 (@long_covid) April 25, 2024
Notably, Long Covid Support pointed out these figures were also greater than the ONS had previously estimated. In March, it had calculated long Covid cases at 2.9%. What this means is that 100,000 more people are suffering the debilitating impacts of the chronic illness than it had thought back in March 2023.
Long Covid Support told the Canary:
It’s not ‘sick note culture’ Rishi – it’s Long Covid. Long Covid is not a historical problem, it continues to claim new victims We need preventative action
However, some people pointed out that it was likely an underestimate anyway:
I am one of the 2 million people with #LongCovid. It's an undercount.
Perhaps now the media and our ableist politicians will take it seriously. https://t.co/LjFAEMCfPL— Sam🐟❤🌈😷🌍🇵🇸 (@CounsellingSam) April 25, 2024
Astutely, some highlighted the problems with the ONS data relying on self reports of long Covid. In other words, people won’t always be aware that they are living with it, despite new symptoms:
This is bad. But almost certainly a massive underestimate because so many people don't realise why they're "tired all the time" or have sudden onset heart failure. And doctors aren't connecting the dots. But even with the underestimate, 1 in 35 people having #LongCovid is bad https://t.co/1ML0d7WHby
— Deirdre O'Kelly 🕷🎵🇪🇺🇬🇧🇮🇪#FBLC #FBPE (@deeokelly1) April 25, 2024
So as one X poster underscored, the study might simply show the number of people who know they have it:
We know from other studies that around 10% of infections lead to Long Covid, and from existing in society that many people have new onset health problems that they don’t attribute to Covid. This study shows that a huge number of people *are* also aware that they have Long Covid https://t.co/qRhLHzt56c
— elle carnitine 🍉 (@elle_carnitine) April 25, 2024
Medical and media gaslighting
Another poster on X pointed out that the ONS use of self-reported cases was unsurprising, given the uphill battle patients face to get a diagnosis:
Well look how hard it is to get a Dr to confirm its long Covid or post acute harm. Many Drs don’t even know the impacts of covid themselves! So many have “gone back to normal” that, on a personal level, to acknowledge covid damage means they too were duped!
— K8 (@CoastalK8) April 25, 2024
Of course, this isn’t even to mention the medical gaslighting and abuse doctors routinely mete out against long Covid patients.
The chronic illness community on X weren’t going to let the corporate media off the hook either. Vitally, one poster expressed how the low rates of self reporting are thanks to the media blitz to downplay long Covid and its failure to connect the dots between the rising rates of other health conditions:
Every article or speech about the record level of long-term sickness, that doesn’t mention long covid, is propaganda.
They’re lying to you.
Hiding everything from fatigue to depression to heart attacks to strokes.
Most of these people have had long covid for two years. https://t.co/ssdk3vIFIk
— SaliWho 🏳️🌈 (@SaliWho) April 25, 2024
For a masterclass in this, look no further than the Long Covid Awareness Day gaslighting from all the usual junk science corporate media shills.
Suspiciously low figures?
Alongside this, Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) Sheffield raised their eyebrows at the figures. It referenced the fact that cases of long Covid had only risen from 1.9 million to 2 million in a year, prompting it to question the integrity of the data:
ONS say c. 2,000,000 people in the UK have #LongCOVID; a disgusting and avoidable number of people sick, potentially LT disabled, p'haps for life. But not much increase from the last set of figures. Do we believe these stats? Have they been manipulated? https://t.co/JEw41MtMDV
— DPAC Sheffield #FightTheRealEnemy 🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈♿️ (@DPACSheffield) April 25, 2024
Moreover, as one person on X noted the ONS prevalence rates were suspiciously lower than estimates in other countries. For instance, in March the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calculated long Covid rates in the US as 6.8%. So, he suggested the low comparative figures might just have something to do with the abysmal state of the UK’s long Covid testing, and rife denial:
I can see absolutely no reason why the UK would have the least Long Covid cases with no growth in 2 years out of the entire western world . I can explain however how the UK has the worst monitoring, testing and governmental denial of the Covid and Long Covid. https://t.co/Xef8wOttfb
— Paul Keeble ME/LC (@PaulRKeeble) April 25, 2024
Such as the fact the NHS has deprioritised treatment targets for long Covid, perhaps?
Of course, people shouldn’t have to spell out the obvious: that the pandemic is still here. However, as others pointed out the UK government has been doing fuck all to stop this ongoing mass disabling event:
And the plan to
(1) help these ill people and
(2) stop more joining this number, is?A big fat nothing.
Best hope you get lucky, eh? Coz no one is coming to help you. #TreatLongCovid #LongCovid #ME https://t.co/JpYf6niNH6
— Tea And Oranges 💙 (@lucacoleman999) April 25, 2024
People highlighted myriad of ways the government COULD be preventing cases. Or you know, helping people with long Covid. Long Covid Advocacy put out a statement with some very practical ideas:
🔥We need decisive political action
🔥We need urgent funding
🔥We need an effective treatment @wesstreeting https://t.co/uBpxiT0aKx pic.twitter.com/dGZuAvHRQw— Long Covid Advocacy 💙 (@LongCovidAdvoc) April 25, 2024
Callous Tory agenda
Of course, actually helping people with long Covid isn’t on the government’s priority list. Instead, as the Canary’s Rachel Charlton-Dailey recently pointed out, it’s a bit pre-occupied gaslighting the whole chronically ill and disabled community back into work.
The irony wasn’t lost on the good folks of X either:
2 million people with #LongCovid And @MelJStride & @RishiSunak wonder why so many people aren’t able to work…
Join the dots Gents… 🙄 #COVID19 https://t.co/5m7WddiEVi
— Judy Hamilton (@secretspartacus) April 25, 2024
Someone needs to write a sick note for @RishiSunak's brain. https://t.co/PZdhHrBm4Y
— Lazarus Long (@LazarusLong13) April 25, 2024
So, as the government’s latest infantilising plan smears millions of chronically ill people for “pulling a sickie”, is it the latest ONS figures that’s actually pulling a fast one?
It seems likely.
By contrast to the ONS 3.3%, a separate study found the prevalence of long Covid much higher. Specifically, a November 2023 study in the journal Nature estimated the true rate at between 6.6–10.3%. Notably, the analysis trashed an earlier 2.7% figure the ONS had put out.
At the end of the day, millions of people across the UK are dealing with the devastating day-to-day reality of life with long Covid. Ultimately, the new statistics do nothing to stop the gaslighting, abuse, and appalling lack of care.
If even the conservative ONS data shows the cases creeping up, alarm bells should be blaring. From the government’s disastrous pandemic response to its ongoing callous agenda for sick and disabled people, it’s simply more evidence of the obvious. That is, that the Tories are signing off a gargantuan mass disabling event, and they don’t give a shit.
Feature image via AFP News Agency/Youtube
