250,000 Kiwis may have Long Covid — but NZ isn’t counting
For International Long Covid Awareness Day 2026, we’ve released a media statement raising concerns about New Zealand’s missing national response to Long Covid. A large number of Kiwis could be living with the condition — yet there’s still no nationwide system to track how many people are affected, or what it’s costing the country.
Long Covid in New Zealand – Explainer
We’ve also prepared a new explainer on Long Covid in New Zealand, endorsed by Victoria University of Wellington associate professor Mona Jeffreys. It’s designed as a resource for journalists reporting on the illness and its impacts — but we hope its useful for others interested in Long Covid.
You can download the full PDF here — or see the “At a Glance” key points below.
For more info on the global picture, a new 2026 Long Covid fact sheet is just released from the US-based Patient-Led Research Collaborative.
And if you prefer listening, check out the latest “Sick and Tired” podcast (Episode 14) — for a conversation about what’s changed, and what’s still needed for Kiwis living with Long Covid, six years on.
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250,000 Kiwis may have Long Covid — but NZ isn’t counting
Media Release: Long Covid Support Aotearoa
Thursday, 12 March 2026
New Zealand isn’t tracking the size or cost of Long Covid nationally. Yet experts estimate our post-Covid illness crisis could involve as many as a quarter of a million people.
In the absence of prevalence data here, Public Health Communication Centre experts estimate a quarter of a million Kiwis — roughly 5% of the population — could have Long Covid. This is within the ballpark of findings in other countries.
Long Covid Support Aotearoa says better data are urgently needed to understand the true impact of the condition and to plan appropriate health services.
“Long Covid is no longer a mystery illness — thousands of research papers have now been published worldwide,” Long Covid Support Aotearoa Chair Larisa Hockey said.
Health economics professor Paula Lorgelly, lead researcher for the Long Covid Registry Aotearoa, says Long Covid’s illness burden is significant.
“Quality-of-life impacts reported by patients are similar to cancer and MS. But the broader societal implications of Long Covid are, in the words of UK immunologist Professor Danny Altmann, ‘so large as to be unfathomable’.”
Long Covid Support Aotearoa says national prevalence monitoring would help policymakers to understand the scale of the issue and ensure the health system is prepared.
“Without good data, it’s difficult to plan services or support people effectively,” Hockey said. “Counting Long Covid properly is the first step towards addressing it.”
Long Covid is largely absent from the recent Covid-19 inquiry. In both phases, the Royal Commission excluded the condition as “out of scope”. In contrast, the Australian government completed a whole inquiry into Long Covid in 2023.
Long Covid Support Aotearoa is calling for:
- National Long Covid prevalence monitoring
- Economic analysis on the cost of Long Covid
- Clear clinical pathways and support for primary care
- Ongoing access to Covid-19 prevention measures, including wider vaccine eligibility for all age-groups from six months.
New Zealand is also in the dark on Long Covid’s price tag. No studies have assessed its cost to our economy. Health specialists have applied a 2024 Australian cost estimate to our country – proposing a figure of more than $2 billion annually in lost productivity alone.
“New Zealand moved quickly to prevent Covid deaths,” Hockey said. “Now we must ensure the long-term health impacts are not overlooked.”
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Long Covid in New Zealand – At a glance
● 250,000+ Kiwis may have Long Covid
If around 5% of the population develops the condition, this would align with international findings — but New Zealand has no national prevalence tracking.
● Disabling effects across the body
Even mild infections can lead to long-term health impacts. Covid-19 affects the brain, heart, lungs and immune system.
New chronic conditions can include ME/CFS, dysautonomia and diabetes.
● Daily life and work disrupted
- Nearly half of NZ patients lost income due to Long Covid
- Ongoing health costs common
- Quality-of-life lower than people with multiple sclerosis
● Economic cost > $2 billion/year
Based on Australian modelling — no New Zealand economic study exists.
Costs are wide: lost productivity, healthcare, home help and income support.
● “Silent” organ and cell damage possible
Even people without recognised Long Covid may have lasting changes from Covid infection that raise long-term risk to the heart, brain and other organs.
● Support gaps remain significant
High unmet medical needs, limited specialist access, lack of financial support.
● National monitoring is limited
Cases can be recorded in health systems, but prevalence is not comprehensively tracked.
– See the full Explainer for sources
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New NZ podcast on chronic illness: “Sick and Tired”
- Listen to Larisa Hockey talk about what’s changed and what’s needed for Kiwis with Long Covid, 6 years on – Episode 14 out now.