Disabled people fight back against Labour denying COVID boosters to 13 million of them

Earlier this week the Canary reported that Labour will be stripping 13 million disabled and vulnerable people of the autumn COVID booster, well now a disabled led organisation are fighting back.

Labour leaving vulnerable people unprotected by stopping COVID boosters

As I wrote on Monday, the UK Health Security Agency, on the guidance of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has decided that only those who are over 75, immunosuppressed or living in care will receive a COVID booster vaccination in September and October.

This means that a huge chunk of people will be unprotected, including disabled people with chronic and autoimmune conditions, pregnant people and even those between the ages of 65-74, who were previously seen as more susceptible too. Vulnerable people will also be put at further risk as carers or those living in the same house as them are also not eligible, whether or not they still fit the criteria.

A staggering 12.9 million people will miss out on the booster, a drop of 65% with just 6.8 million now eligible out of last year’s 19.7 million.

Disabled lives not worth a £25 vaccine

The JCVI’s reasoning behind depriving 12.9 million people of a vital booster is the same as usual, it’s not cost-effective. How much is a disabled person’s life worth? Well, it’s less than £25 cos that’s how much a vaccine costs.

This is despite the UKHSA’s own data showing that vaccinated people are 43% less likely to be vaccinated with COVID, and whilst they recorded a 31% rise in hospitalisations in a 15 day period at the beginning of this August. Last winter alone, 13,000 people were hospitalised with COVID-19, and that was while many more were vaccinated. The NHS is already on its knees, why would you put more strain on it by denying people COVID boosters?

Keep COVID Boosters – sign the petition

But thankfully, disabled people are fighting back. As I reported on Monday Clinically Vulnerable Families are currently running a campaign to raise awareness of the COVID boosters being restricted; they are encouraging people to use the hashtag #KeepCOVIDBoosters.

CVF have also launched a parliamentary petition to force the government to fund boosters for all vulnerable people. When you sign it please ensure that you confirm your email, or your signature won’t count.

On the petition, Clinically Vulnerable Families says:

NHS vaccines are cheaper than private boosters at ~£100, and an ICU bed over £1,800 per day.

They also highlight that those who are now ineligible for a COVID booster are still eligible for a flu shot, despite it being just as, if not more, deadly.

Take the fight to Labour, don’t let them kill more disabled people

CVF have also drafted email templates that supporters can send to their MP. There are templates specifically for vulnerable people or for their loved ones to send. You can find your MP and their email address here.

It’s vitally important that we take this fight to the government and don’t let them find another way to kill disabled people.

Featured image via the Canary