Closed petition Establish a ‘Care Society’ to Tackle the Long COVID Crisis in Wales
Wales is grappling with escalating long-term illnesses from Long COVID in previously healthy children and working people.
In Wales, more than 12,000 have died with COVID [1, BBC]. As many as 300,000 are battling Long COVID [2, ONS].
-Families are losing income providers [3, Bylines]
-Hospitals under extreme pressure [4, Wales Online]
-School absences more than doubled [5, BBC]
By 2030, 1 in 3 could have Long COVID. We call for a ‘Care Society’ to safeguard our health and livelihoods.
More details
Components of ‘The Care Society’
1. Health
-Funding for Long COVID clinics and research
2. Economic Participation
-Workplace adjustments such as flexible hours, remote work, and discrimination protections
-A Universal Basic Income pilot, examining how financial support could empower people to contribute to society, regardless of health status
3. Infrastructure
-Enhance air quality in public buildings, including schools and hospitals
-Invest in green infrastructure to spur economic growth, including retraining for those transitioning from current roles due to Long COVID
References
1. https://www.bbc.com/news/live/uk-wales-68426481
2. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/selfreportedlongcovidsymptomsuk/10july2023
3. https://bylines.cymru/voices-lleisiau/bereaved-covid-inquiry/
4. https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/health/welsh-hospitals-full-nhs-services-28378743
5. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c90exkyw15no
This petition is now under consideration by the Petitions Committee
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