Advancing Disability Equity and Access in TANF and SNAP for People with Long COVID

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, a growing population is developing Long COVID, a post-viral illness that can be debilitating. With more than 200 possible symptoms, it can interfere in a person’s ability to work, threatening their economic stability. One in five adults who are infected with COVID develop Long COVID, with greater numbers reported in women, young people, and Indigenous and Hispanic/Latinx communities, among others. One study found that two-thirds of respondents with Long COVID who had previously been working had to reduce their hours or could not work at all. This brief recommends actions that federal, state, and local policymakers and administrators can take to ensure these programs better meet the needs of people with disabilities at a time when this population is skyrocketing.