Those suffering from Long Covid are afraid of what will happen to them under the Government’s benefit reset. 

Social Development Minister Louise Upston announced that sanctions for those on the benefit will begin to ramp up from June. 

Long Covid has left some suffering from symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, cognitive impairment, and severe pain, forcing them to leave work where they subsequently go on the Jobseeker Benefit. 

Dr Jaimie Monk, Motu Research Fellow, suffers from Long Covid and told Kerre Woodham that when you have Long Covid you have a very limited budget of energy to spend on your life. 

She said that it’s a different type of fatigue to simply being tired, and returning to work can be incredibly challenging as you have to be careful with the energy you’re spending. 

Monk said that she knows people with Long Covid who are desperately trying to work part-time to support their families and never have space to recover, trapping them in a loop. 

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