People who are infected with long Covid at work should receive compensation, MPs suggest

15 January 2021, 10:24 | Updated: 15 January 2021, 11:17

MPs are calling for long Covid to be classed as an "occupational disease" and for frontline workers who are infected whilst doing their job to receive compensation.

While some people have a mild form of illness from Covid-19, others have been seriously affected with long Covid.

People affected with long-term symptoms have described how they have been previously fit and healthy and now they are confined to a wheelchair.

Breathlessness and fatigue have been reported by long-term sufferers and some have described how doing shopping or climbing stairs can leave them bed-ridden for days.

Long Covid could affect up to one in 10 people who get the disease, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.

Lib Dem MP Layla Moran has said in parliament that the condition needs "more research and recognition."

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"Long Covid sufferers feel that they are forgotten in this pandemic, and their plight needs recognition by both the state and employers," she said.

Ms Moran, has called on the government to establish a "national register of cases" as well as a compensation scheme in order to support those who are left unable to work after contracting the disease in their jobs, such as doctors, nurses and teachers.

She also said it should be considered an "occupational disease" for frontline workers, who are more at risk of contracting Covid-19.

"There are key workers on the frontline who have no choice but to do their job with inadequate PPE and testing, and now face financial ruin for doing their duty," said Ms Moran.

"It is unacceptable. We need to protect our heroes on the frontline who can't work because they have long Covid."

Ms Moran said that there could be up to 4,000 new long Covid patients daily, as around 40,000 new infections are reported.

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One LBC caller had a harrowing tale of her life with long Covid and the long term impact the virus is having on her months later.

Sam in Dunmow called to tell LBC her moving tale of life with long Covid.

She told LBC's Iain Dale she contracted coronavirus on the 7th of September but that she became so unwell she had to go to the hospital.

Telling LBC it "took a while" to be diagnosed she described the process as "one step forwards two steps back.""I'm still out of breath if I walk up the stairs if I try to communicate I feel I'm getting out of breath."

She told LBC she was on sick leave from her work in a school.

Describing the illness as a "very lonely road," Sam told Iain that when you get Covid nobody wants to see you.

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The caller explained to Iain that any time she attempts to do anything she is left in a huge amount of pain.

"The brain fog is ridiculous," she told LBC explaining how she was working to recover from the illness.

Describing her symptoms Sam said the pain in her wrists means she cannot even open a water bottle.

Sam told Iain the pain leaves her feeling like she wants to sob.

Telling LBC she was a health and active woman before she said she looks at photos from her Facebook profile and wonders "where is that woman? When is she coming back?"

"I feel half a mother, I feel half a woman, I feel half a partner because everything is a struggle," Sam explained.