The coronavirus pandemic will leave millions of people suffering from long-term sickness — threatening to place a lasting burden on advanced economies’ healthcare and social welfare systems, unless they radically revamp public policy.

Between 10 and 20 per cent of Covid-19 sufferers still exhibit symptoms after three months, some estimates suggest — a phenomenon dubbed “Long Covid”. In addition, health practitioners have warned of a “secondary epidemic of trauma”.

Even before the pandemic, welfare systems were failing to keep up with changes in the world of work, as technology drives a shift to flexible but insecure jobs. Meanwhile, the nature of illness is changing, as mental health problems become a far more prevalent cause of sickness leave.