HHS Launches Office of Long COVID Research and Practice

Current analysis suggests that anywhere from 7.7 million to 23 million Americans have developed Long COVID, and roughly 1 million people are out of the workforce at any given time because of it. This figure is equal to about $50 billion annually in lost salaries. One year ago, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) worked with federal partners to create an action path forward to address Long COVID. Two reports outline key aspects of that work:

To continue to help people access supportive services and advance our nation’s understanding of Long COVID and its associated conditions, HHS has established the Office of Long COVID Research and Practice. This office will continue current efforts to lead the whole-of-government response and work across the government to implement the National Research Action Plan.

ACL started the Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL) to help people with disabilities of all kinds to get connected to information about local resources that support independent living. Launched in 2021 to help disabled people access COVID-19 vaccinations, DIAL also helps connect people to essential services, such as transportation, housing support, disability rights, and more.

DIAL’s staff are trained to work with people of various communications abilities and will spend as much time as needed to ensure effective communication. DIAL’s information specialists can assist people in all languages and are trained to work with callers who are deaf and hard-of-hearing. Connect with a DIAL information specialist from 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM ET, Monday through Friday.

How to reach DIAL: