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The costs of COVID-19 just keep climbing. According to an article from CNBC, long COVID could end up costing the economy over $3.7 trillion dollars, and the yearly average medical costs will be around $9,000 per patient.
The estimates come from David Cutler, an economist from Harvard University. He based his estimates partly on previous research on chronic fatigue syndrome, which closely mirrors COVID-19 both in symptoms and treatment options, CNBC reports. Cutler's total $3.7 trillion estimate includes a combination of costs related to reduced quality of life, reduced earnings, and increased medical expenses for patients. Individual costs will likely vary between $3,700 and $14,000 per person, Cutler estimates, but the average would come to about $9,000 apiece.
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