The Survivors: The Lasting Trauma of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic is, by all accounts, one of the most seismic events in modern history. It disrupted economies, overwhelmed healthcare systems, and brought the world to a screeching halt. But while society at large is eager to move on (as if mass grief and systemic collapse were just a weird phase), a significant number of people are still dealing with the lasting repercussions—many of them alone, exhausted, and largely ignored.

These are the pandemic’s forgotten survivors: those who lost multiple loved ones, those struggling with long COVID, and those battling PTSD after witnessing the chaos unfold. While the world rushes back to normal, they’re left picking up the pieces with little support and even less recognition.

The Unspoken Reality of Mass Grief

Let’s talk about something that makes most people uncomfortable—death. More specifically, the kind of loss that came without warning, often in isolation, with no opportunity for a final goodbye. Unlike traditional bereavement, COVID-related grief came with the added gut punch of restrictions, mass burials, and funerals attended via Zoom.

Take the Fusco family in New Jersey, who lost five members in one week after a single family gathering (CBS News). Or the many individuals in the UK who lost both parents, multiple siblings, or an entire generation of grandparents. While these stories made brief headlines, the long-term impact of such mass grief remains largely unexamined.

The UK’s National COVID Memorial Wall, an initiative led by bereaved families, serves as a stark reminder that these losses weren’t just statistics; they were parents, partners, children, and friends. But has the government actually acknowledged the ongoing trauma for those left behind? Not really. While charities like Cruse Bereavement Support and The Good Grief Trust exist, access to therapy and structured support remains an uphill battle.

For many, the pandemic took more than just lives—it robbed people of closure. And yet, in a rush to “move on,” this grief has been swept under the rug, treated as if it were just another statistic in a history book.

Sources:

• CBS News: Fusco Family COVID Loss

• The Guardian: The National COVID Memorial Wall

  
  

PTSD: Not Just for War Veterans

If you think PTSD is something that only affects soldiers and first responders, think again. The pandemic triggered an explosion of trauma-related disorders, particularly among frontline healthcare workers, bereaved families, and those who experienced prolonged ICU stays.

A Mental Health Crisis in the Making

Studies estimate that at least 17% of the general population developed PTSD symptoms due to the pandemic (PTSD VA Study). For NHS staff, it’s even worse—nearly 60,000 NHS workers are now believed to be suffering from PTSD due to the emotional and physical toll of working through wave after wave of crisis (NHS Charities Together).

So, what’s being done about it? Well… not enough.

• The NHS expanded mental health services, but waiting lists are months long.

• Some frontline workers were told to try “self-care” (because nothing screams ‘recovery’ like a scented candle and an inspirational quote).

• And in a plot twist nobody saw coming, the NHS has been trialing comedy-on-prescription—where patients attend stand-up workshops instead of taking antidepressants (The Times). Because sure, dark humor has its place, but let’s not pretend it’s a substitute for actual mental health care.

If the best we can offer traumatised healthcare workers is a couple of jokes and a mindfulness app, then we’ve truly missed the point.

Sources:

• PTSD VA Study on Pandemic-Related Trauma

• NHS Charities Together: PTSD Among NHS Workers

• The Times: Comedy-on-Prescription

  
  

Long COVID: The Mystery Plague That Won’t Go Away

For those who caught COVID early in the pandemic, many were reassured it was “just a bad flu.” Fast-forward a few years, and we now have millions of people still battling symptoms of long COVID—crippling fatigue, brain fog, chronic pain, and breathing difficulties (Self Magazine).

And yet, support for these individuals is woefully inadequate.

• Long COVID clinics exist, but access is inconsistent—many patients report being dismissed by GPs, told their symptoms are “psychosomatic,” or simply left to fend for themselves. (Sound familiar? Because it’s exactly what happened to people with chronic fatigue syndrome for decades.)

• In Germany and Canada, long COVID patients have been integrated into structured disability support systems.

• In the UK, thousands are fighting for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) while struggling to hold down jobs—often gaslit into thinking they’re exaggerating their symptoms.

It’s a cycle of medical neglect that’s repeating itself in real time, and unless long COVID is treated with the seriousness it deserves, millions will be left in permanent limbo.

Sources:

• Self Magazine: Long COVID and Chronic Illness

• The BMJ: Disability Rights and Long COVID

  
  

How Can We Actually Help?

If we’re waiting for governments to swoop in with a fully funded plan, we’re going to be waiting a long time. Instead, change needs to come from multiple levels—community, workplace, and policy reforms.

1. Start Talking About It

Grief and trauma aren’t contagious, but the silence around them makes people feel isolated. Normalising discussions about pandemic-related loss, PTSD, and long COVID can help break the stigma and make seeking help feel less daunting.

2. Expand Mental Health Access

NHS mental health services are underfunded, understaffed, and overwhelmed. Investing in bereavement counselors, PTSD specialists, and long COVID clinics should be a priority—not an afterthought.

3. Workplace Flexibility for Long COVID Sufferers

Employers need to wake up to the reality that many people with long COVID physically can’t do a standard 9-to-5. Flexible work schedules, remote options, and reasonable adjustments should be the norm, not a special request.

4. Hold Politicians Accountable

The UK COVID Inquiry is underway, but will it lead to real change? Only if public pressure forces the government to actually fund NHS services, expand disability rights, and recognise the real, human cost of this pandemic.

Sources:

• UK COVID Inquiry: What’s Happening?

• BMJ: The Fight for Better Healthcare Post-COVID

  
  

Final Thought: The Need for Long-Term Compassion

The world may have moved on from COVID-19, but for millions of people, the trauma is far from over.

Mass grief, PTSD, and long COVID aren’t “yesterday’s news.” They’re ongoing crises that deserve recognition, support, and action. If we don’t start taking them seriously now, we risk creating a generation of forgotten survivors, left to navigate their struggles alone.

And honestly? They deserve better.