A recent report indicates that as of the end of 2025, an estimated approximately 757,000 people in Germany suffered from Long Covid. Coupled with this figure are nearly 657,000 individuals living with ME/CFS, a severe chronic condition often emerging following a viral infection.
The research, conducted by German and Australian scientists from the ME/CFS Research Foundation and the company Risklayer, shows that the combined societal cost attributed to both conditions in 2025 reached roughly 64.4 billion Euros. When comparing this to previous years, the total cost saw an increase of about 1.3 billion Euros. The team had previously presented figures covering the years 2020 through 2024.
Regarding the impact on individuals, ME/CFS often prevents adults from working and makes it difficult for children to attend school. In severe cases, sufferers can be bedridden, unable to speak or feed independently, and are extremely sensitive to various stimuli, including light and noise.
In response to the growing crisis, the Federal Ministry of Research declared the “National Decade against Post-Infectious Diseases” in mid-November 2025. This initiative commits 500 million Euros toward promoting research into such illnesses and potential therapies between 2026 and 2035.
However, experts caution that proactive intervention is crucial. Jörg Heydecke of the ME/CFS Research Foundation stressed that the problem will not solve itself. He advocated for heightened awareness of the urgency, stating that “Biomedical research, including the development of medicines and therapies, is the only way out of this crisis, socially and for all affected individuals”. He warned that “the less and the later we invest, the longer it will take-and the more it will cost”.
