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
At 250 signatures...
All petitions with more than 250 signatures will be discussed by the Petitions Committee
At 10,000 signatures...
Petitions with more than 10,000 signatures will be considered for a debate in the Senedd