They have recognised that children in CV families took on new caring responsibilities. Many have never been recognised or supported as "Young Carers".
2/
There appears to be confusion in the report between disability (which is a mental or physical impairment) and clinical vulnerability (which are risk factors including health conditions, which puts someone at higher risk of poor outcomes and required shielding etc.).
3/
Fear (or derivatives) is mentioned 67x
Anxiety 31x
These words are frequently used in relation to Clinically Vulnerable people or children in CV families - who were managing higher risks without appropriate airborne protections.
4/
There is recognition that CV families faced difficulties when they were infected.
5/
CV / CEV children were worried about getting seriously ill.
6/
Additonal responsibilities for children in CV families.
7/
Children in CV families faced food insecurity.
8/
CV families were left behind, while others moved on...
9/
Children in CV families were left to manage safety and faced bullying (discrimination).
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Children in CV households were locked out of education.
11/
Long-term significant harms for their health, wellbeing, and education. 12/
The report has identified many serious impacts on children who were Clinically Vulnerable themselves or who lived in CV families.
13/
Please take a look at the full report and comment below.
Today @BBCMoreOrLess discussed pandemic impacts on Children & Young People:
"It turned out that they would be spared from the worst impacts of the disease."
The specific impacts on CV children, those in CV families or struggling with Long Covid were barely considered.
1/๐งต
Dr Munroe dismissed risks to children:
"Covid itself had a relatively small clinical impact on young people."
In reality, CEV children were told to shield due to their risks. Over 200 children have died, and with a different response those deaths may have been preventable.
2/
This was the only section in which @TimHarford did point to the direct harms:
"For a few young people, Covid WAS a very serious disease. Long Covid has also been a problem for some. And young people did die."
Unfortunately, it was immediately followed up with...
When the UK government rolled out the "Living with Covid" policy it simply scrapped protections and shifted to personal responsibility. For most, it meant "back to normal." For Clinically Vulnerable people, life became harder.
1/๐งต
The plan was based on a single assumption: that vaccines alone would be enough... vaccines due to be withdrawn this Autumn.
But for millions who are Clinically Vulnerable, vaccines werenโt a magic bullet. Protection wasnโt universal and some were left with little to none.
2/
๐Mask mandates ended
๐ฅFree tests were phased out
๐ฉโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ฆSelf-isolation was no longer required
Covid was treated as a personal problem, not a public health issue. If you got sick, you were on your own.
3/
๐ CVF are relieved to announce that we will be representing you in the final section of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry looking at the ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฆ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฒ๐๐.
It will consider the effects on keyworkers, vulnerable populations, bereaved, & mental health.
1/12 *Stick with this*
Protective measures were often described as "restrictions" and the lifting of measures described as the return of "freedom".
2/
๐ Seatbelts were once seen as a "restriction" by some, but today with evidence & awareness, they are now considered essential for safety.
๐จ๐ท The Covid pandemic was a missed opportunity to normalise airborne protections that protect health and save lives.
"Would you support the development of a more diverse portfolio of vaccine formats and antivirals, both as part of future pandemic preparedness plans and during [.] 'peace time' to ensure that Clinically Vulnerable groups are adequately protected?"
1/
"Absolutely, I think it is really important to make sure that we have good therapeutics and vaccines for the whole population."
2/
Q - Why is it important to have that breadth of formats?
...not many [immunosuppressed] were involved in the initial trials.
We now know [.] that booster doses help in terms of vaccine efficacy.