A disabled woman from Nottingham has explained why she does not plan on leaving her house for 'the foreseeable future' after the coronavirus pandemic.
Natasha Coates, who has mast cell activation syndrome and autism, was one of millions of people who were shielding during the pandemic.
But as shielding measures are lifted she is part of a large group of people who have raised concerns about their safety.
According to research by disability charity Scope, half of disabled feel anxious about the measures being paused on August 1, while a fifth say they will not leave their homes until a vaccine is found.
Natasha, 25, said: "Some people are starting to get a bit of normality back in their lives, but those of us shielding are still in the exact same situation we were at the beginning of lockdown.
"I had to be careful going outside before the coronavirus took hold, but I did manage to get out of the house. Now, I definitely won't be going anywhere for the foreseeable future.
"The cases are still there, it's not like it's gone. I don't see how it's suddenly going to be safer. The easing of lockdown was never going to be an easy situation but that's exactly why we need clear and concise instructions to keep everyone safe."
According to the research, based on a survey of 1,115 adults with a health problem or disability, five percent feel safe about shielding being paused and 30 percent will not leave their homes when lockdown ends.
A letter, signed by 27 groups and campaigners, has now been sent to Boris Johnson calling on him to prioritise the needs of disabled people.
Mark Hodgkinson, Scope chief executive, said: "Scope's findings reveal that many disabled people are worried about life after lockdown.
"Shielding may be set to pause, but for millions of disabled people at greater risk of coronavirus their fears have not been taken into account and they feel overlooked."
A Government spokesman said: "We know this has been a challenging time for disabled people and their families and we have been doing everything we can to support them at every stage of this pandemic.
"This includes increasing the standard Universal Credit allowance, suspending all face-to-face assessments for health and disability benefits and offering support digitally or over the phone where appropriate.
"Our priority is that disabled people continue to be supported, with their interests at the forefront of our recovery from the current healthcare emergency, and we'll also be bringing forward a Green Paper and a National Disability Strategy later in the year."
