Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, an estimated 400 million people worldwide have been affected by post-COVID-19 condition (PCC), also known as Long Covid. According to the WHO, around 6 in every 100 people infected with COVID-19 develop Long Covid, a condition that typically begins within three months of the initial illness, lasts for at least two months, and is marked by debilitating symptoms ranging from mild to severe, sometimes leading to long-term disability.

In the early stages of the pandemic, limited clinical knowledge and inadequate healthcare services meant that Long Covid was often undiagnosed, dismissed, poorly assessed, or inappropriately treated, often leading to frustration, stigma, and worsening health outcomes. Five years on, the risk of developing PCC has decreased; yet with SARS-CoV-2 still widely circulating, Long Covid remains a significant global public health challenge.

The impact of Long Covid extends far beyond individual health. It affects productivity, reduces workforce participation, and places considerable strain on national healthcare systems. These wide-ranging consequences make it imperative for the EU, its institutions, and Member States to coordinate their efforts - working hand in hand with patient communities - in providing citizens with improved knowledge, treatment, and support. Bridging the gap between scientific progress and patients' everyday realities is essential: advances in diagnostics, treatment, and rehabilitation must lead to tangible improvements in their quality of life.

This workshop builds on the outcomes of a previous EPRS event that examined the then-emerging understanding of Long Covid--its clinical profile, its impact on patients and society, and the urgent actions needed to address gaps in knowledge, raise awareness, and advance treatment development.

By bringing together MEPs, researchers, policymakers, healthcare professionals, communicators, and patient advocates, the workshop seeks to foster a coordinated, multidisciplinary debate on Long Covid. Its goal is to share insights, challenges, and innovations, while informing both citizens and specialized audiences about scientific progress, policy developments, and practical experiences. Ultimately, it aims to contribute developing effective and long-term strategies for addressing Long Covid across Europe.

Programme

14:00 - 14:05 Welcome and introductory remarks

• Laura BALLARIN
  MEP and member of the Panel for the Future of Science and Technology (STOA)

14:05 - 14:20 Keynote address - Long Covid: Advances, Open Questions, and Patient-Centred Perspectives

• Evelina TACCONELLI
  Full Professor on Infectious Diseases and Head of Infectious Diseases Division, University of Verona

14:20 - 14:55 Panel 1: Policy responses at European level on Long Covid

• Antonio PARENTI
  Director of Public Health, Cancer and Health security, DG SANTE, European Commission

• Aliya KOSBAYEVA
  Health Workforce and Service Delivery Unit, WHO Europe

• Frederico GUANAIS
  Deputy Head of Health Division, OECD

• Diego CASTANARES
• Medical Expert, Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre

14:55 - 15:05 Q&A session

15:05 - 15:45 Panel 2: Current challenges, best practices and future perspectives in research, healthcare and patient support

Moderated by Nicolás GONZÁLEZ CASARES, MEP and SANT Committee member

• Michèle VAN VUGT
  Full Professor of Internal Medicine, University of Amsterdam

• Gemma TORRELL VALLESPIN
  Medical Doctor and Researcher, Catalan Health Institute

• Gez MEDINGER
  Patient Advocate and Author 'The Long Covid Handbook'

• Nicole SCHNEIDER
  Dr. med. vet., Long Covid Europe

15:45 - 15:55 Q&A session

15:55 - 16:00 Closing Remarks

• Laura BALLARIN
  MEP and STOA Panel member

The event will be held in English only, without interpretation.
The event will be web streamed. The link will be published on the event page.