Many people with disability are extremely concerned about the risks to their health and the health of their loved ones as Australia starts to reopen from COVID lockdowns.
That’s because many people with disability are at greater risk of sickness and death if they get infected with COVID, which is why people with disability were supposed to be prioritised for vaccinations and be double-dosed back in April.
However, the latest figures from the Federal Government show that vaccination rates for people with disability are still way too low. And yet governments across the country are planning to open up from the latest round of lockdowns, some in just a few weeks.
Without giving people with disability and the workers who support them sufficient time and opportunity to access vaccinations, we risk making disabled people second-class citizens, endangering their lives and putting them in lockdown limbo.
(See what the Disability Royal Commission has said about the vaccine roll-out in their draft report – PWDA summary: What’s in the COVID19 disability vaccine rollout debacle report? (ourroyalcommission.com.au))
Help People With Disability (PWD) Australia fight for the health and rights of people with disability by supporting their campaign and sharing stories about:
- Lack of access to COVID vaccines
- The impact that reopening will have on you and your loved ones
- The need for people with low immune systems to get extra jabs to protect them from COVID
Real life stories help us bring about real change by putting a human face on these issues.
Share your stories on social media using #SpeedUpVaxForPWD
Or send your stories to: pwd@pwd.org.au