The outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) and the virus is now a global pandemic, spreading to many countries and territories. While a lot is still unknown about the virus that causes COVID-19, we do know that it is transmitted through direct contact with respiratory droplets of an infected person (generated through coughing and sneezing). Individuals can also be infected from touching surfaces contaminated with the virus and touching their face (e.g., eyes, nose, mouth). While COVID-19 continues to spread, it is important that communities take action to prevent further transmission, reduce the impacts of the outbreak and support control measures.
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Ensuring that persons with disabilities are protected and respond effectively to a COVID-19 outbreak, it is critical that their exposure and vulnerability to the spread of the disease are recognised and necessary measures are in place to ensure their inclusion, effective participation, protection and safety is addressed in the health response. We urge all levels of government, agencies and the private sector to work with disabled peoples’ organisations to make sure that persons with disabilities in particular women, children and young persons with disabilities aren’t left behind in the COVID-19 response.
Persons with disabilities and their families will be exposed to the COVID-19 outbreak. In the likely event of this, they face barriers in accessing information due to the lack of availability and accessibility of critical information to guide them in taking necessary precautions, identify where to go to seek help and who to contact in cases of emergencies. Lack of access to education for most persons with disabilities further contributes to their vulnerability to the outbreak as they would lack the understanding of technical medical terms used in public advisories, further contributing to their inability to respond to the outbreak and take necessary actions. Most persons with disabilities are unemployed, poor and live in overpopulated areas with poor living conditions. This exacerbates their exposure to the outbreak and limits their ability to put in place measures to respond to the outbreak, hence raises the risk of their vulnerability.