Women more frequently affected Just under 2 percent of all IV registrations due to Long Covid
Just under two percent of all new registrations with the IV are due to Long Covid. A study commissioned by the federal government shows that those affected were awarded a pension more frequently than people without Long Covid.
31.01.2025, 00:00
31.01.2025, 05:38
SDA
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Since 2021, around 2,900 Long Covid sufferers have registered with the IV.
- Nine out of ten sufferers are completely unable to work, 85 percent suffer from fatigue or exercise intolerance.
- 60 percent of those affected struggle with neurocognitive disorders such as concentration and memory problems.
- Two thirds of Long Covid sufferers who apply for IV benefits are women.
Long Covid remains not only a health problem, but also a social problem: almost 2 percent of all new applications for disability insurance (DI) are due to post-Covid syndrome.
A new study commissioned by the Federal Social Insurance Office (FSIO) shows that those affected are awarded a pension more frequently than people with other health restrictions.
The analysis is based on data from 2021 to 2023, during which time it is estimated that around 2,900 Long Covid sufferers registered with the IV - many of them with severe symptoms and often completely unable to work.
Those affected show severe symptoms
With a share of 1.8 percent of all new IV registrations, Long Covid remains a comparatively rare cause of registration - but those affected often suffer from particularly severe symptoms.
According to a recent analysis, nine out of ten Long Covid patients are 100 percent on sick leave with the IV. 85 percent struggle with fatigue or exercise intolerance, which means that they are chronically exhausted and their performance is severely limited.
In addition, 60 percent suffer from neurocognitive disorders, including concentration or memory problems.
Women are more frequently affected
The gender-specific distribution is particularly striking: two thirds of all Long Covid sufferers in IV are women. The exact reasons for this have not yet been conclusively clarified, but medical studies suggest that women are more frequently affected by post-viral illnesses.
The pension approval rate was higher among Long Covid sufferers than in the comparison group. Of those who registered with the IV in 2021 and 2022, 12% received a pension by the end of 2023 - compared to only 9% of the remaining IV applicants.
Although around 60% of those affected were able to at least slightly improve their ability to work within the first two years after registering, a significant proportion remained permanently unable to work. Long Covid has long-term effects on working life for many of those affected.