As summer slowly gives way to autumn, many are preparing for the new season in different ways. Many will be starting a new year at school or uni, or even a new job. September, although not the start of the year, often feels like a month of new beginnings. But as usual, there’s no rest for disabled people and with the new season comes new stress and more ways the government want us dead. This time, through denying us the COVID booster.
COVID booster
In September and October, many of us with weaker immune systems are preparing for a fresh wave of viruses and bugs, stocking up on meds, wrapping up and of course by getting our yearly or 6-monthly vaccines – except this won’t be the case for many who receive the COVID six-monthly booster.
Last winter, around 13,000 people were hospitalised with COVID-19. Over the last four years there have been varying levels of confusing guidance about who can ensure they’re protected against COVID through the winter, but generally most people who are more prone to infection get it – or so we thought.
We get six-monthly boosters of the COVID vaccines because. despite there being little coverage of it, COVID is still very much happening and this means those who need it most are protected.
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data shows that vaccinated people are 43% less likely to be hospitalised with COVID. Which is why it makes absolutely zero sense that many will not be vaccinated when the same agency record a 31% rise in hospitalisations in a 15-day period at the beginning of August.
12.9 million people missing out
Usually anyone who is more susceptible to infection gets the vaccine. However, this year only those who are over 75, are immunosuppressed, or live in a care home will be eligible for it. This includes organ, bone marrow, or stem cell transplant patients, those living with HIV, those on steroids for more than a month, or on chemo or radiotherapy.
This means a huge chunk of people from all walks of life won’t get the COVID booster. That includes disabled people with a myriad of chronic and autoimmune conditions. And although immunosuppressed people will still be vaccinated, many immunocompromised people cannot take immunosuppressants but still have immune systems that cant fight off illnesses as well.
It won’t just be disabled people who are affected. Pregnant people also won’t be eligible, meaning that many will be going into hospital to give birth, fearing that they and their unborn child will be exposed to COVID. The age restriction also means that those 65-74 will miss out. The vaccine eligibility is also not extended to carers and family members, so not only will disabled people will be further at risk.
This means 12.9 million will be left unprotected this autumn and winter, which is a drop of 65% from the previous 19.7 million. Just over one million of the 6.8 million still eligible are immunosuppressed people.
Money saving over life saving
And the reasoning behind all this? Well, it’s money-saving of course.
The UKHSA is working on guidance from the Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) which instead of examining who needs the vaccine, worked out the cost effectiveness of providing the vaccine.
The JCVI said in a statement:
The use of cost-effectiveness is a key pillar in the consideration of immunisation programmes, ensuring that the substantial investments in the programmes are a good use of public money, and that those funds would not be better spent on other healthcare interventions.
It continued:
This has led to a more refined approach to the targeting of the COVID-19 immunisation programme, with a focus on individuals where there is good evidence of a high risk of hospitalisation and/or mortality.
To put it simply, it’s too expensive to give disabled people the COVID booster, so they won’t be doing that anymore
The JCVI are basing their analysis on the drop in cases, but this is skewed when by and large we aren’t reporting COVID anymore unless people are hospitalised with it, which those who are immunosuppressed or older tend to.
It’s manufacturing a result then going “look at this result!”
Disabled people fighting back, again – this time, on the COVID booster
Founder of Clinically Vulnerable Families Lara Wong told the Canary:
There is no doubt that lives will be lost and that it will drive health disparities.
CVF are currently running a campaign to raise awareness of the boosters being restricted; they are encouraging people to use the hashtag #KeepCovidBoosters. In the coming weeks, they will be launching a petition to fight for all clinically vulnerable people to get a booster, we will share this when it’s ready to be signed.
Another in a long list of ways the government are trying to kill disabled people
I wish disabled and clinically vulnerable people being left unprotected against a virus which killed so many of us were in any way shocking, but it’s just another in a long list of ways the government are systematically killing disabled people.
The reason this news went mostly under the radar is because disabled people have been fighting for our lives with DWP benefits cuts, assisted dying, and the increasingly vile ableist media narrative. We’ve been too busy fighting for things that will kill us in the long run to notice they’re coming up with newer ways to kill us quicker.
Featured image via the Canary
