Long COVID could end up causing significant economic harm to the country due to higher health costs and demands.

That warning is contained in a new report from Canada’s chief science adviser that details how up to 20 % of people with COVID-19 develop long COVID after recovering from infection. Some have still not recovered up to three years after the initial infection.

Doctor Mona Nemer says Canada could face a “mass disabling event” because it’s increasingly clear that COVID-19 raises the risk of several chronic diseases including diabetes and hypertension.

Meantime, it appears there was more mental health resiliency around the glove during the pandemic than previously thought.

Canadian researchers reviewed 137 studies from around the world that measured people’s overall mental health, depression and anxiety levels.

McGill University’s Brett Thombs says coverage of the pandemic has mostly focused on snapshots of people whose mental health has deteriorated, leading to a generalization by the public.

But he says the study shows that many people — including some with existing mental health disorders — have been resilient during a time of crisis