People with disability are still missing out on appropriate support and care during the current phase of the pandemic.
The Royal Commission has released an overview of responses on how people with disability were impacted during the Covid-19 Omicron wave.
Among the responses were that: governments did not consider the needs of people with disability when mandating restrictions, setting up vaccination hubs or providing updated information on the pandemic; people with disability had trouble accessing personal protective equipment (PPE) and rapid antigen tests (RATs); disability services were disrupted or suspended, making it hard to access disability support workers, leading some people to rely on family members for support and who were denied, or chose to postpone, health care services and routine health checks due to reduced hospital staff. These issues were exacerbated for people with disability living in remote or regional areas.
Proposals for change included: greater funding for disability advocacy organisations during national emergencies; direct support is necessary for people with disability and their families so they can access care including mental health support, food and medication, and continued in-home and emergency respite care; booking systems and drop-in services for vaccines and boosters should be made accessible, as well as in-home vaccinations for people who need them; and organised consultations should occur with peak disability organisations and the disability community regarding all areas of pandemic planning and decision-making.
In a statement the Commission noted it remained deeply concerned that people with disability were still not being appropriately prioritised during the current phase of the pandemic in relation to health care, disability support and the vaccine/booster rollout.