Long COVID is costing Texas thousands of dollars more per patient than the rest of the country, according to new data from health care company Nomi Health.

The big picture: Long COVID symptoms can vary and include brain fog, fatigue, organ damage, chest and joint pains, loss of senses of smell and taste, cough, headache, and gastrointestinal and cardiac issues.

• Researchers are still trying to understand why some people develop multiple chronic symptoms after what often starts as a mild coronavirus infection.
• The long-term symptoms cost employers and insured Americans thousands.

By the numbers: Texans with long COVID pay roughly $5,000 more on average than other Americans in the first six months after their diagnosis, Nomi Health found in an examination of medical claims between January and June 2022.

• Insured Texans saw a 240% increase in medical spending each month following an initial COVID diagnosis, or a predicted cost of $14,500 within the first six months of a diagnosis.

Of note: Nomi Health's review also revealed skyrocketing employer expenses associated with long COVID.

• Nationally, long COVID cost employers an average of $600 more per member than the average diabetes episode in the first half of 2022, or an average of $2,654.67 per member.
• Employers also are faced with labor shortages because of the pandemic, and an August report from the Brookings Institution estimated that long COVID could be keeping as many as 4 million Americans out of the workforce.

"Everybody that says, 'Transit is not for me, why should I support it?' Here's what I'll offer for you: You should support it because it's good for the economic future of our region. When 5% to 10% of folks use it, it makes life better for the other 90% to 95%."

What's next: Metro Houston is working on creating a METRORapid line through the University Corridor and I-10 Inner Katy Corridor that will connect downtown, the Galleria area and west Houston. Construction is expected to start at the end of 2023.

🚚 Chevron will pay to move nearly 200 employees from its shuttered California headquarters to Houston in the coming weeks. The oil giant already has 8,000 workers here. (Houston Chronicle)

🤠 Houston-area native Parker McCollum will kick off the RodeoHouston concert series this spring. His performance is part of new opening-day celebrations. The rest of the lineup has yet to be announced. (KHOU)

⚾️ AT&T SportsNet reporter Julia Morales breaks down how the Astros pick which uniform to sport on a given night. (Chron)

🏢 Montrose will be home to a new, 238-unit co-living midrise in the coming years. Developer Civitas Capital Group broke ground on the property at 701 Richmond this week. (Houston Business Journal)

Texas is practically the worst state for workers, according to a new study by Oxfam America.

Driving the news: States were ranked on wages, worker protections and employees' ability to unionize.

• Oregon is the best state for workers, and North Carolina is the worst.
• Texas ranked 48th.

Details: The report points to wages lagging inflation, COVID-19 and several states' abortion restrictions as causes for more perilous work conditions.

• Texas earned a zero for its right-to-organize score because it's a right-to-work state and doesn't require collective bargaining for public workers, among other factors.

The big picture: The study comes on the heels of a new Gallup poll that says 71% of Americans support labor unions, the highest percentage since 1965.

Yes, but: Houston workers continue to organize, with two new unions formed in the last few weeks.

• Workers at the Starbucks in Montrose successfully unionized after a months-long campaign, the first shop in Houston to do so.
• Employees at Republic National Distributing Co. in Houston also won a certification election this month, according to the Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation.

💼 See who's hiring around the city.

1. Account Executive at Univision.
2. Sales Development Representative - Data Solutions at Perficient.
3. RTLS Healthcare Sales Director - Cox Prosight at Cox Communications.

Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.

Hiring? Post a job.

🦞 Eat well at the eighth annual Houston Creole Festival tomorrow in Emancipation Park.

• The festival takes place from 11am to 10pm.
• Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for teenagers; free admission for kids under 12.

🤩 Enjoy a night of art, music, film and more at the Starry Nite Arts Festival tomorrow at the Chinese Community Center.

• Workshops will run from 1pm to 4pm, with performances to follow until 10pm.

🍺 Have a drink at the Montrose Oktoberfest 5k Pub Run/Walk tomorrow afternoon.

• It's free to join and kicks off at The Phoenix around 1pm.

🗳 Register to vote at the Tejano Center for Community Concerns' Raise the Vote block party tomorrow evening.

• Register online for a free ticket. The event starts at 4pm.