Biden administration encourages possible mask mandate to combat 'long COVID'

A new report from the Department of Health and Human Services says that social distancing and masking should be encouraged or even mandated due to the possibility of people suffering from "long COVID."

"The lifting of mask mandates and indifferent attitude toward masking and social distancing typical in many public and private places further isolates people with Long COVID," reads the report obtained by Fox News. "As a result, policymakers should "encourage or mandate policies and protocols regarding masking and social distancing in public spaces."

According to the CDC, long COVID is when people who have had COVID-19 experience long-term effects after having an infection from the virus.

Recently, the White House asked Congress for another $10 billion to fight COVID, according to Fox. 

"Listening to and learning from the experiences of long COVID patients is essential to accelerating understanding and breakthroughs," said Rachel Levine, the assistant secretary for health. 

The report also calls for mental and behavioral health care for people with long COVID and vaccine promotion. 

There is also a push in the report that Fox obtained for negotiations with pharmaceutical companies to fund COVID advocacy groups and states that "diversity, equity and inclusion-related outreach funding" is needed to ensure research money helps "underresourced and underrepresented communities."