COVID-19

Biden Says ‘Long COVID' Could Qualify as a Disability Under Federal Law

President Joe Biden speaks during an event in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, July 26, 2021, to highlight the bipartisan roots of the Americans with Disabilities Act and mark the law's 31st anniversary.
Susan Walsh/AP

President Joe Biden announced on Monday that serious long-term COVID-19 cases could qualify as a disability, making federal protections and resources available to those suffering from the disease.

Speaking at an event at the White House celebrating the 31st anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Biden said that lingering COVID symptoms, such as fatigue or brain fog, "can sometimes rise to the level of a disability."

"We're bringing agencies together to make sure Americans with long COVID who have a disability have access to the rights and resources that are due under the disability law, which includes accommodations and services in the workplace and school, and our health care system so they can live their lives in dignity," Biden said.

The departments of Health and Human Services, Justice, Education and Labor released guidelines to help individuals experiencing long-term effects of long-term COVID-19 navigate federal benefits.

Read the full story at NBCNews.com.

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