The Long COVID Tipping Point?

In his book The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell describes how little things can make a big difference. Often, a series of small, seemingly minor events build up until they reach a critical threshold—the tipping point—where sudden, dramatic change becomes inevitable. Can we really afford to ignore a disease like Long COVID, which has a 10% chance of affecting people with each infection? With reinfections happening every 6 to 12 months for many, we’re watching a slow build of risk that could soon reach a tipping point of global consequence.

Imagine the impact over the next decade. This isn’t just about individuals; it’s a 10% chance of our doctors, pilots, presidents, soldiers, and police officers all grappling with the debilitating effects of Long COVID. When essential roles in society are consistently compromised, the risks are stacked like blocks in an increasingly unstable tower—one that can only lean so far before it topples. The more we ignore the impact of Long COVID, the closer we edge toward this collapse.

The toll of Long COVID is not a hypothetical future but an unfolding reality. As it affects more people, it strains every facet of society—healthcare, insurance rates, disability programs, and economic productivity.

Yet, as Gladwell suggests, tipping points can be powerful forces for change. Yesterday’s Long COVID symposium hosted by PolyBio reminds us that progress is being made, and that awareness is growing. For those living with Long COVID, know that the tipping point toward action may be nearer than it feels. Hang in there; with each person affected, change inches closer.