I had a hearing for a client who has been unable to work due to the symptoms of long-haul COVID, sometimes also referred to a postviral fatigue syndrome (PVFS).

My main challenge as a Representative has been to make sure Social Security recognizes that long-haul COVID cases are not like other cases. An appropriate RFC for a long-haul COVID case is an RFC for complete inability to do sustained work-related activity (see POMS section DI 24510.057B.2.b). See also EM 21032 REV . If you have a client with long-haul COVID, that Emergency Message and the POMS are good starting places when putting a case together.

At the DDS level, I have not had success getting disability examiners to grant claims on this basis. COVID is just too new to overcome the bureaucratic inertia. This was my first ALJ hearing for a long COVID case.

The judge was great. All the evidence was there, and the judge will grant the claim. Because my client may hopefully get better with time, the judge will recommend a short time frame for a continuing disability review, which is entirely appropriate.

I think the long-COVID claims will remain challenging at the DDS level. But my hearing today gave me renewed hope that well supported claims will be granted at hearing.