Paid Leave Scheme for Healthcare Workers with Long COVID Extended Until Year-End

Dublin: Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has confirmed that the paid leave scheme for healthcare workers suffering from long COVID will be extended until December 31, following a recommendation from the Labour Court. The scheme, initially scheduled to conclude on June 30, 2025, will now remain in place to support affected staff through the remainder of the year.

The extension follows appeals by several unions and political representatives, including Labour TD Marie Sherlock, who urged the government to continue the scheme. The unions had also requested that long COVID be officially recognised as an occupational illness. However, the Labour Court ruled that neither COVID-19 nor long COVID qualifies as an occupational disease or workplace injury under current legislation.

In its ruling, the court recommended extending the existing scheme until the end of the year and directed that remaining participants be transitioned to the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme during this period.

The paid leave programme, first introduced in July 2022, was originally intended to run for one year but has been extended multiple times. As of now, 159 healthcare workers remain on the scheme.

Long COVID, also known as post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), refers to a range of lingering symptoms that persist long after the initial illness has resolved. Common symptoms include extreme fatigue, respiratory issues, chest pain, cognitive difficulties (“brain fog”), and insomnia — significantly impacting the ability to work or carry out daily tasks.

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