As a leukaemia patient I am officially “extremely vulnerable” to the coronavirus. In the midst of outlining plans to ease lockdown, the prime minister confirmed on Monday that those of us in the “extremely vulnerable” group must remain confined to our homes. He claimed that the government would do its best to support us, but offered no substance as to what this support might look like. As things stand it does not include being eligible for a Covid-19 test.
According to the Department of Health and Social Care’s eligibility criteria, anyone over the age of 65 can request a test. However, if you are under 65 and at extreme risk from the virus you cannot. This glaring oversight means that many of the most vulnerable are left without access to a test.
At the start of the crisis, the only advice to those at greatest risk was “do not go on a cruise”. The absurdity of this has been thrown into stark relief by the subsequent escalation of the crisis. Weeks later it seems we remain an almost forgotten group, shut away behind closed doors without even access to testing.
Catherine Wreyford
London
