Template letter to send to your MP
November 2020
Dear
Making people with a learning disability a priority for COVID vaccination
You will know that Public Health England recently released figures showing that 6 times as many people with learning disabilities died as the general population from COVID in the first wave. Six times as many .
This data shows that people with a learning disability are at significant risk from COVID-19. The impact is being felt at a younger than in the wider population. Many are at an increased risk of respiratory illnesses, many have other long term health conditions.
Rapid access to vaccines could be key to reducing infection and saving lives, as with flu vaccinations now (many of the risk factors for people with learning disabilities are similar). Yet, people with learning disabilities do not currently feature in the priorities for vaccination. There are 250,000 people with learning disabilities on GP lists in England. A small number relative to the 10 million older people due to be prioritised.
Our proposal is simple – that people with learning disabilities registered with their GP are prioritised in the queue for vaccines given their vulnerability to COVID 19.
I urge you to raise this important issue of equity in your role as my MP
Yours sincerely