Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make more funding available to research the occupational impacts of Long Covid.

Over £50 million has already been invested in post COVID-19 syndrome research projects to improve our understanding of the diagnosis and underlying mechanisms of the disease and the effectiveness of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies and interventions, as well as to evaluate clinical care.

There are no plans for an assessment of the adequacy of research funding for post COVID-19 syndrome and/or occupational disease.

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including occupational disease and post COVID-19 syndrome. It is not usual practice to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions.