Political panel highlights cross-party support for action on Long Covid
Media Release: Long Covid Support Aotearoa, 10 August 2026
Politicians from across the party spectrum today expressed broad support for a cross-party approach to Long Covid, ME/CFS (ME) and related long-term health conditions. They also acknowledged inequities in current support and care systems.
The latest New Zealand Health Survey estimates that around 185,000 New Zealand adults experienced Long Covid symptoms in 2024/25 – 4.3 percent of adults.
Centred on questions from people living with Long Covid, ME and other chronic conditions, the online panel discussion was hosted by Long Covid Support Aotearoa (LCSA) and Sick and Tired Aotearoa, with support from Manawatū People’s Radio.
The panel brought together four sitting MPs from across Parliament – Green Health Spokesperson Hūhana Lyndon, ACT Health Spokesperson Todd Stephenson, NZ First Education Spokesperson Andy Foster, and Labour Health Select Committee member Ingrid Leary – alongside Opportunity Party leader-candidate Qiulae Wong.
Te Pāti Māori sent its apologies due to other commitments. The National Party did not attend or respond to the invitation. As the largest party in the current Government, its participation would have been particularly valuable given the significant number of New Zealanders living with Long Covid, ME and other long-term health conditions. LCSA hopes to see the National Party engage on these issues in future.
The discussion covered disability support, access to healthcare and specialist pathways, prevention and clean air, welfare and financial support, and what political parties could do to improve outcomes for people living with chronic illness.
Panellists expressed empathy and concern about the significant, life-limiting impacts of Long Covid and ME, with several sharing personal connections to people living with these conditions. Several also spoke about the need for greater understanding and expressed a willingness to learn more, while acknowledging inequities in current support and care systems.
Renee Dingwall, a former Palmerston North City Councillor who is now housebound and uses a wheelchair due to Long Covid, facilitated the panel.
“We were pleased to hear candidates express broad support for a cross-party approach to Long Covid, ME and related long-term health conditions,” she said. “There is a precedent for this approach with other conditions, including rare disorders, and we hope to see that same willingness to work together here.”
“While research is continuing, people are already living with significant disability and there are treatment and management approaches that can help with symptoms. The priority now is ensuring people can access appropriate care and that emerging evidence is translated into practice”, Dingwall said.
Long Covid Support Aotearoa Chair Larisa Hockey said the group is calling for five key actions:
- Count the impact of Long Covid and ME – measure how many people are living with Long Covid and ME, and the health and economic costs
- Recognise Long Covid and ME as disabilities – enabling appropriate access to Disability Support Services
- Strengthen health system capability to care for Long Covid and ME – provide specialist support and ensure health professionals have up-to-date knowledge
- Invest in prevention – including clean air measures in schools, workplaces and healthcare to reduce new Long Covid cases
- Commit to a National Action Plan for Long Covid, ME and related conditions.
The group plans to collaborate with ANZMES, the National Advisory on ME, to help progress action for these and related conditions.
“People living with these conditions have waited long enough for a coordinated response,” Hockey said. “We welcome the willingness shown by panellists to listen and learn. The next step is turning that willingness into meaningful action.”
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