Covid is Airborne: You’re breathing it in
A powerful short video explaining how COVID spreads through the air like smoke, highlighting why ventilation, clean air and respiratory protection matter.
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Report downloadable by clicking here.
A summary of the key findings is provided below. It is clear that Long Covid is impacting on the UK economy.
Summary
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Prevalence & impact on daily life: Nearly 2 million people (≈3% of the UK population) live with Long Covid, with ~80% reporting reduced ability to carry out daily activities. Many are unable to work or live independently.
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Long-term condition: Long Covid is now established as a chronic condition requiring long-term solutions. Current government funding for Long Covid clinics only extends to March 2025, with no guarantee of continued support.
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Macroeconomic impact (baseline ~1.9m cases/year):
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GDP loss: ~£1.5 billion annually
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Employment loss: ~138,000 jobs
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Household income loss: ~£1.3 billion annually
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NHS treatment costs: ~£4.2 billion annually
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If cases rise to 4m by 2030: GDP loss grows to £2.7bn, employment to −311,000, household income to −£2.1bn, and NHS costs to £9.3bn.
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Health system strain: Managing Long Covid could require 46,000 additional healthcare workers, placing extra pressure on an NHS already struggling with waiting lists and underfunding. Without extra funding, other services may be cut.
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Inequalities: Long Covid disproportionately affects lower-income groups, women, and people in retail/hospitality sectors, worsening social and economic inequality.
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Wider impacts: The real burden is likely greater than measured GDP/job losses, as informal care costs, quality-of-life reductions, and disease burden (QALYs) are not fully captured.
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Policy implications: Without action, Long Covid will act as a chronic drag on UK growth, health, and wellbeing. Addressing it requires sustained healthcare investment and policy choices, including exploring new taxation to fund long-term treatment and management.
