Symptoms of “long Covid,” which researchers are now calling Post-Acute Sequelae of Covid-19, or PASC, can develop “well after” infection, and severity can range from mild to “incapacitating.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, recently spoke on another, potentially debilitating, consequence of the infection: post-viral syndrome.
“Brain fog, fatigue, and difficulty in concentrating,” Dr. Fauci said at the International AIDS Conference. “So this is something we really need to seriously look at because it very well might be a post-viral syndrome associated with COVID-19.”
There can be no doubt or debate that the symptoms of Post Acute Sequelae of Covid 19 exist, are real and can be debilitating. This reality has not yet filtered down into the Social Security disability program. Nevertheless, there are sufficient tools embedded in the disability program to prove inability to work five days a week eight hours a day as a result of this long-haul illness from Covid-19.
The approach taken will depend upon the presentation of symptoms, the age of the individual, and the nature of past employment. The matrix of decision-making within the disability program is extremely complex and not susceptible to a one-size-fits-all solution. With that said, all disability claims require regular medical care and clear chart noting by the physician.