Coronavirus / Mental health and disability rights

Liberty members explain why the Coronavirus Act must be scrapped

Posted on 25 Sep 2020

One of the cruellest parts of the Coronavirus Act is that it allowed councils to strip back social care. We asked members who rely on social care how they were affected.

Just as the pandemic was taking hold, when people were afraid and facing months of isolation and uncertainty, the Government passed legislation which enabled councils to suspend their social care duties.

We asked members who rely on social care how they were affected.

We received some distressing and shocking responses.

One Liberty member, who is 92 and lost his wife just before lockdown, said: “I am feeling very isolated and very lonely. I have tried to obtain as much help as possible but these are voluntary services that are short of funding. There is no care for the elderly.”

"There is no care for the elderly"

Liberty member, who is 92 and lost his wife just before lockdown

Another member, who lives alone and has Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression and agoraphobia, said: “I don’t want to die but I don’t feel safe. I am scared. I want to tell my story so that other people may not have to go through the same as I am going through.”

With a second wave of the pandemic expected in the coming months, we cannot allow this Government to abandon those who rely on social care again.

We need a more caring response to this pandemic – one that is focused on public health.

What the Coronavirus Act does is strip care away. It leaves people vulnerable to discrimination and abuse.

The Government has wrongly prioritised criminal justice. It has watered down our human rights – dehumanising some of the most marginalised in our society.

Don’t let them do it again. Make your voice heard – sign the petition and get the Coronavirus Act scrapped and force the Government to respond to this pandemic in a way that protects people.

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