Long COVID Program Planning Workbook
January 30, 2026
Long COVID presents a complex and evolving challenge for state and territorial health agencies, with impacts that extend beyond clinical care to workforce participation, disability systems, health care utilization, and overall community well-being. For example, one analysis found that Long COVID has kept as many as 4 million people out of work, resulting in more than 200 billion dollars in lost wages. Because Long COVID affects multiple systems, effective public health responses must be coordinated and cross-sector — addressing immediate needs while advancing long-term systems change.
The Long COVID Program Planning Workbook is designed to help state and territorial health agencies plan, prioritize, implement, communicate, and sustain Long COVID initiatives. Through guided exercises and structured prompts, the workbook supports teams in defining root causes, engaging key interest holders, identifying priority needs, proposing feasible interventions, and evaluating impact. The completed workbook can serve as both a strategic planning document and a communications tool to align internal teams, engage partners, and inform decisionmakers. Health departments should treat this workbook as a living document and update it as new data, feedback, and priorities emerge.
This resource is organized into the following sections to support public health leaders through each phase of program development:
- Problem Definition: This section supports health departments in clearly defining Long COVID within their jurisdiction by examining local data, lived experiences, and root causes. It guides users in developing a concise problem statement that identifies who is most affected, how the problem presents locally, and the potential consequences of inaction.
- Interest Holder Identification and Mapping: This section helps agencies identify, prioritize, and engage internal and external interest holders, including patients, partners, and decisionmakers. Structured mapping tools support intentional engagement strategies that strengthen collaboration and implementation.
- Assessing Needs to Improve Long COVID Outcomes: This section guides agencies in identifying unmet needs and barriers related to Long COVID using both quantitative and qualitative data. It emphasizes understanding differences in outcomes, identifying data gaps, and leveraging existing resources to inform equitable program design.
- Identifying a Proposed Intervention and Proposal Development: Building on identified needs, this section supports the development of evidence-informed, feasible interventions aligned with agency priorities and capacity. It walks teams through defining goals, SMART objectives, activities, timelines, and resource needs.
- Communicating Long COVID Priorities to Decisionmakers: This section provides guidance on translating complex Long COVID information into clear, compelling messages for decisionmakers.
- Evaluation and Sustainability: This section supports agencies in defining evaluation goals, selecting meaningful metrics, monitoring progress, and using findings for continuous improvement. It also emphasizes integrating Long COVID efforts into existing systems and identifying pathways for long-term sustainability.
This workbook provides a practical, adaptable framework to help health departments move from problem identification to sustained action and strengthen long-term public health resilience.