- Conference
- 2025 National Women's Conference
- Date
- 15 October 2024
- Decision
- Carried
According to the Gender and Public Health emergencies working group, by August 2022 long COVID had negatively impacted over 100 million people worldwide with residual symptoms that could persist many months or potentially a lifetime after having the acute infection.
Symptoms of long COVID include shortness of breath, chest pain, brain fog, fatigue, myalgias, and gastrointestinal issues. While research is limited regarding this condition, a systematic review revealed that more than half of those who had SARS-CoV-2 infection experienced long COVID for up to six months.
Gender differences have been evident since the pandemic’s birth, as women are more likely to be infected with COVID, whereas men with acute infection exhibit higher mortality rates. However, the working group have highlighted that women are four times more susceptible to long COVID than men.
Women and girls may be more susceptible to long COVID due to their stronger immune responses. Women have been shown to have heightened IgG antibody production, which is protective in the early phase of COVID-19 but can prolong inflammation if persistently elevated. Studies have also found that inflammatory marker IL-6 is elevated months after COVID-19 infection, especially in women. Immune T cells are more active in women than in men. Women have two copies of the X chromosome, which contains many genes coding for the immune system, whereas men have only one. Also, women of reproductive age have stronger immune systems because they have adapted to support pregnancy. Ultimately, all of these factors contribute to a hyperactive and prolonged inflammatory reaction in women that leads to the persistent fatigue, myalgias, cognitive changes and other symptoms that characterize long COVID. Women may also face persistent complications in cardiovascular and pulmonary function due to long COVID. In addition to multiple physical symptoms, women also experience psychological manifestations of long COVID. Depression, anxiety, memory issues, and sleep disturbances are common psychological consequences of long COVID. A survey reported an increase in depression during the pandemic among 83 percent of working women compared to 36 percent of working men. Financial stressors during the pandemic significantly impact women and compound mental health concerns.
Doctors also think that long COVID worsens the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. Lower levels of oestrogen and testosterone appear to be the reason. The symptoms of both the menopause and long COVID can be very hard to tell apart and it’s important that women get the right diagnosis and treatment.
The long-term symptoms of COVID-19 will impede women’s ability to work. Women already face a high percentage of job loss in society, but now many women have reported difficulty entering the workforce due to brain fog, pain, and chronic exhaustion from long COVID. There is a fear of unemployment as more days are taken off to recover from symptoms. This further exacerbates COVID-19’s disproportionate impact on women even beyond the health sphere. Unison need to be at the forefront in supporting and representing women members who are experiencing long COVID symptoms. Thanks to Unison many employers, have or are introducing policies, procedures and guidance relating to the Menopause and there should now be some dialogue about doing the same with regards long COVID.
With the above in mind, we are asking the National Women’s Committee to:
1)Conduct a survey of women members to identify workplace issues that are affecting those with long COVID.
2)Look into existing research on the impact for women of long COVID which can inform the producing of Unison guidance and factsheets for members.
3)Work with regional committees, branches to support representatives in negotiating a long COVID policy in the workplace.