Burnaby long COVID patient calls for more government support

A Burnaby man has been living with long COVID for over a year and he says it has upended his life as he runs out of money.

Michael White tells CityNews there needs to be more specific financial assistance for those with the post-viral condition — a range of symptoms affecting some people months after recovering from a COVID-19 infection.

“I feel as though government assistance programs have not evolved to accommodate people like me with long COVID – who have no way of knowing when or if they’re going to make a complete recovery,” he said.

“Do not worry about the fact that you feel that you’re somewhat overweight, you’re actually healthy … the alternative is being thinner but also hugely incapacitated.”

White says he was living a very active life, working full-time in marketing while operating as a freelance journalist and managing a food blog with his partner.

After getting long COVID, White explains that he had to take medical leave in the spring and now feels exhausted after a couple of hours of activity.

He says it reactivated a condition that flares up his immune and digestive systems, as well as a movement disorder that can cause painful muscle spasms.

“I was capable of international travel back then, and that’s certainly off the table right now,” he said. “I’m sitting in a place where I could eat or drink anything I wanted without hesitation or concern. But nowadays, food is like a minefield for me.”

White ran out of federal EI sickness benefits, which max out at 26 weeks.

Then, after being laid off in October, he tried to get regular EI benefits.

“I was very rapidly told that I didn’t qualify because I made the mistake of being honest to the government and telling them that I was only capable of searching for part-time work, not full-time,” he said.

A federal press secretary told CityNews that, if a person needs more than 26 weeks of sickness benefits, they may qualify for disability benefits — but long COVID isn’t explicitly named as a recognized disability.

Speaking at a press conference in Vancouver on Tuesday, Health Minister Adrian Dix couldn’t immediately speak to how disability benefits work for people with long COVID, but said the number of patients referred to B.C.’s post-COVID care network has been going down.

“But if you’re having it, if you’re living it, if you’re dealing with it – it continues to be a challenge. We’ve standardized our care pathways, and I think across the province, are providing a strong healthcare response,” said Dix.

In a statement, B.C.’s Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction says: “Long-term COVID patients may be eligible for Disability Assistance depending on their symptoms if they meet the eligibility criteria. Depending on their financial status, they can also be eligible for Income Assistance.”

While White expects to have better chances of recovery compared to other long-COVID patients, he says wishes there was more help for him and others.

“I am close to being out of money and I would like to think the government would be willing to help me after having been a very responsible taxpaying citizen for 38 years,” he said.