🧵 Module 8 Prelim Hearing @covidinquiryuk @LongCovidKids @LCKScotland
CYP with #LongCovid suffered the double burden of the direct effect of their illness and disability as well as the indirect effects of the pandemic & it's associated measures felt by all CYP
Sarah Hannett KC
Some CYP have lost their lives to COVID-19, many continue to suffer from the life changing, disabling symptoms of #LongCovid
Patients & their families suffer the additional burden & stigma of being disbelieved and disparaged or having symptoms minimised or dismissed as anxiety
We agree with the observations made by the CRO that the Pandemic, & we would add #LongCovid, exacerbated and continues to worsen existing inequalities amongst CYP in terms of, for example social economic status, ethnicity & disability
#LongCovidKids
Listen to Long Covid Groups closing submission delivered by KC Anthony Metzer. 12/12/23
My Lady, I appear with Sangeetha Ienger and Shanthi Sivakumaran
Instructed by Jane Ryan of Bhatt Murphy
@Jane_Ryan_ @BhattMurphy @covidinquiryuk
#LongCovid #LongCovidKids #CovidInquiry
You heard from our client @SammieFMc during the impact films. In her statement, she said: “it has been extremely distressing to watch my child who had been previously completely healthy, happy and dancing around being unable to move and full of self-doubt. It was like watching
my child fade away – she is no longer the child she was.”
The LCG's have sought to understand how & why there was an inexplicable delay in the @GOVUK recognition of #LongCovid, when longer-term sequelae were foreseeable/ well-established from SARS and MERS.
#LongCovidKids
Three years ago while #LongCovid was being denied and ignored, despite available evidence @LongCovidKids families came together to make this made this awareness video advocating for CYP injured by #COVID.
3 years on, children are still sick.
#LongCovidRuinsLives #LongCovidKids
Listening to the witnesses at the @covidinquiryuk today has been extremely difficult, upsetting and traumatic for families.
We are distraught that the experiences of our children who both endured the pandemic and were injured by the virus, are not being heard. The inquiry
'listening' project WILL NOT hear directly from CYP with #LongCovid. Less than 20 children will be interviewed as part of a research project. Their experiences will analysed and shared alongside the experiences of a larger number of children who endured the pandemic. We feel
1/3 These are the words children use to describe their #LongCovid experience.
Friday is #LongCovid day at @covidinquiryuk
@LongCovidSOS Co-founder @selkieO
will give evidence on behalf of the Long Covid Groups.
We can't do this alone, we need your support.
#StrongerTogether
2/3 Their words remind us why we are part of the @covidinquiryuk
Join Us.
✅0915> @ Dorland House, 121 Westbourne Terrace London, W2 6BU
✅0800> online to support as we ask the @covidinquiryuk to #listen, #learn & give children & families #Hope
#ListenLearnHope
#GiveUsHope
3/3 The words of the young people injured by #COVID keep us focused on why we are part of the @covidinquiryuk
“These figures are extremely concerning. Children rarely get ill, so a disease affecting 2% of young children to a level that it’s causing restriction of day-to-day activity is a huge public health problem.”
@dgurdasani1
“In the absence of vaccination, prior infection remains the only means by which children can, ironically, become immune, and evidence shows that ensuing protection is highly variable and often insufficient….
…This, combined with low vaccine rates & a lack of mitigations, condemns kids to multiple reinfections that may lead to both #LongCovd & other forms of morbidity, as well as a proportion experiencing severe acute disease on breakthrough, w some sadly succumbing.” @SGriffin_Lab
🧵 “We now need to explore whether the lack of implementation is due to a lack of commissioning of services, or whether it represents centres choosing not to follow the guidance & use alternative strategies without evidence base.” @DocStrain
“It is important that decisive action is taken to address these issues and ensure that #MECFS patients receive the appropriate care they deserve, @SonyaChowdhury @actionforme
With > 2 million people living with Long Covid, and > 50% said to meet the criteria for #MECFS and therefore @NICEComms guidelines communities must stand together to ensure safe rehabilitation & care.