Many people continue to be under strain from Long COVID

Long COVID continues to be a major concern for many people. According to a statement from the Lower Saxony Ministry of Health, current estimates suggest that around 5 to 10 per cent of all people develop Long COVID after being infected with the coronavirus. Information on the exact number of those suffering is still difficult to obtain.

The AOK Lower Saxony has analysed its insurance data in relation to Long COVID: In the period from March 2020 to December 2023, 12,300 of the almost 800,000 employees with continuous AOK insurance were on sick leave at least once due to the long-term effects of COVID-19. In 2023 however, there were significantly fewer sick notes due to Post-COVID, long-term COVID or chronic fatigue syndrome than in previous years. 

In Lower Saxony, a counselling hotline has been open since August 2023 run by the state government and AOK Niedersachsen. The state also has two outpatient clinics for Long COVID and Post-COVID patients at Hannover Medical School and Göttingen University Medical Centre. The aim of these outpatient clinics is to provide interdisciplinary treatment as early as possible, particularly for patients with severe chronic fatigue or prolonged absence from work, training and school.