Disability Rights UK is calling on the Health Secretary Sajid Javid to reintroduce protection for clinically vulnerable people, and those who are medically exempt from vaccinations, as the country moves from Covid alert level 3 to level 4.
DR UK CEO Kamran Mallick said: “We cannot stress enough how abandoned clinically vulnerable people feel and the urgent need to put effective protection and support measures in place.
“When all support was removed from 3.8 million Clinically Extremely Vulnerable people earlier this year, it was done within the context of the virus being in retreat, due to the successful roll out of the vaccination programme. CEV people were asked to manage their own risk.
“The evidence shows that this approach is no longer tenable, due to the greatly increased chance of being infected by the Omicron strain of the virus. In addition, there is a significant minority of people with chronic illness unable to minimise the impact of the virus by taking up vaccinations, due to the devastating consequences the jab has on their health.
“We are asking the Secretary of State to urgently review his decision not to introduce new measures to protect and support people who are clinically vulnerable to COVID-19.”
DR UK is asking Government to rapidly implement the following measures:
- For the NHS to identify all clinically vulnerable people and provide them with personalised medical advice and support.
- For Local Authorities to provide personalised support to clinically vulnerable people.
- For arrangements to facilitate the delivery of food and medicines to be put in place for clinically vulnerable people.
- For employment protection and sick pay to ensure that clinically vulnerable workers are able to shield and not attend the workplace.
- For a telephone helpline to be set up for people who are clinically vulnerable, that signposts and links people to health and community support.