Scrapping of Covid rules in England ‘will increase fear and anxiety’ for disabled people, charity warns

Ditching the remaining coronavirus restrictions in England will “increase fear and anxiety for disabled people”, Sense has warned, as the deafblind charity renews its calls for disabled people to be at the heart of the upcoming Covid inquiry.

The concerns come as the organisation publishes findings of a survey of more than 1,000 disabled people, with 6 in 10 saying they are afraid of socialising due to the risk of contracting COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the House of Commons on Monday that the UK “can now deal with [coronavirus] in a different way”, with a move from “government restrictions to personal responsibility”.

“While the pandemic is not over, we have now passed the peak of the Omicron wave […] We now have sufficient levels of immunity to complete the transition from protecting people with government interventions, to relying on vaccines and treatments as our first line of defence.

“Restrictions pose a heavy toll on our economy, our society, our mental wellbeing and on the life chances of our children, and we do not need to pay that cost any longer,” he said.

The Conservative Party leader also revealed the requirement to self-isolate following a positive Covid test will end on Thursday, while advice around Covid certification, staying at home and free coronavirus tests will expire on 1 April.

However, the announcement has been criticised by Sense, with Chief Executive Richard Kramer saying: “The lifting of all restrictions in England, and the removal of free testing, will increase fear and anxiety amongst disabled people and their families.

“Their needs have often been overlooked throughout this pandemic, and it’s no surprise they feel forgotten, and are worried about being left behind.

“They must be heard at the inquiry. We owe it to them to investigate the decisions that have led to such a disastrous outcome.”

Mr Kramer’s comments come after the latest statistics on Covid deaths show that disabled people made up 60% of all coronavirus-related fatalities from January to November 2020.

It’s understood a public inquiry into the UK Government’s response to the pandemic will take place in the spring, with Baroness Heather Hallett – who acted as coroner for the 52 victims of the 7/7 bombings – leading the investigation.

Following her announcement as chair in December, Baroness Hallett said: “The pandemic has affected us all, some much worse than others. I am acutely conscious of the suffering it has caused to so many.

“In the new year I shall be seeking views from those who have lost loved ones and all other affected groups about the Inquiry’s terms of reference.

“I want to assure the British public that, once the terms of reference are finalised, I shall do my utmost to ensure the Inquiry answers as many questions as possible about the UK’s response to the pandemic so that we can all learn lessons for the future.”

As well as publishing new statistics on the concerns of disabled people during the pandemic, Sense and disability campaigners today handed in a petition signed by almost 39,000 people to Downing Street.

The call to action demands a key section of the inquiry to cover the impact of COVID-19 on disabled people and their families; the panel leading the inquiry to be representative of disabled people; and for the investigation to be run in an accessible way.

Claire Reece, 42, from Cambridgeshire, was one of the campaigners who delivered the petition, along with her 13-year-old son Hugo, who is deafblind and has respiratory problems.

“Disabled people and their families have been forgotten in this pandemic.

“The Government did not and still does not take into consideration how many families and individuals are still scared and left without support out there. [They] failed to protect disabled people and their families; they must be at the heart of this inquiry,” she said.

Emma Blackmore, 34, from Bristol, also handed in the petition at Downing Street. She has epilepsy and problems with her sight and hearing after being born with congenital rubella syndrome.

She said: “The last two years have been really hard for me, as well as many other disabled people. Thousands, if not millions, of disabled people lost their support networks, which causes so many other issues, whether that’s health or social care.

“We are human beings and deserve to have as much support as anyone else.

“I want the Government to hear how much we really did struggle. We feel left behind as disabled people and it’s time our voices are heard.”

Downing Street has been approached by The Limping Chicken for comment.

Photos: Sense.

By Liam O’Dell. Liam is an award-winning Deaf freelance journalist and campaigner from Bedfordshire. He can be found talking about disability, theatre, politics and more on Twitter and on his website.