About 13% of California workers’ compensation claims for covid-19 in 2020 and 2021 included long-term covid medical treatment, according to a report released Friday by the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California.
The WCIRB report also found that the risks of prolonged covid are higher in female workers, workers over 50 and workers who have co-morbidities, and that claims involving treatment for prolonged covid symptoms are four times more likely to result in permanent disability benefits.
The report said more than 300,000 COVID-19 claims have been filed in California since the pandemic began in March 2020.
The leading types of symptoms treated in lengthy covid claims in the post-acute period are respiratory problems, including cough, chest pain and shortness of breath. Fatigue and musculoskeletal and neurological conditions are among the leading types of long-term covid symptoms treated in mild cases and in hospitals.
More than half of all long-term Covid claims in California during the study period were filed by healthcare workers, although those in that industry were also more likely than other workers to be vaccinated early against the virus, the report said.
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