In devastating news, that confirms the worst fears it has been found that the number of deaths among people with severe learning disabilities more than doubled during the pandemic in England.
This only and sadly corroborates the fear about the people with disabilities facing the worst impact of the Coronavirus pandemic. Though there is a shortage of global data on the exact situation but going by established research on the differential impact of disasters and calamities on persons with disabilities, things can be far worse than being currently highlighted.
The Care Quality Commission, which regulates services caring for people with disabilities in England, found that 386 people died between April 10 and May 15, according to a news report. This was 134 percent higher than the same period last year when the total was 165.
Almost all of the extra deaths were accounted for by the coronavirus – some 206 of those people died with confirmed or suspected Covid-19.
Not-for-profit and charity organizations said the statistics were ‘deeply troubling’ and a ‘stark reminder’ that disabled people’s health rights were falling by the wayside.
This took ‘too long’, critics said, and still only shows a partial picture. They have called for more widespread testing of people with disabilities, who are more likely to die of lung infections than the general population.
‘The devastating impact of Covid-19 on our community is shocking, but sadly not surprising,’ said Edel Harris, chief executive of the charity Mencap.
Mencap supports people living with learning disabilities such as autism, Down’s syndrome, and Williams syndrome.
Ms. Harris said: ‘We have long been warning that the healthcare rights of people with a learning disability are under threat like never before.
‘Throughout this crisis, we have repeatedly challenged discriminatory healthcare guidance and practice, and we continue to support people with a learning disability and their families to access the treatment and support they have a right to.’
Dan Scorer, the head of policy at Mencap, said on Radio 4 this morning that the data was still missing the peak of the outbreak and its early days, meaning it only shows a partial picture.
He told the Today program the data was ‘extremely worrying’ and said: ‘I think it makes it even more extraordinary that people in care homes people with learning disability can’t don’t have access to testing.
