MP says Government must focus on elderly and vulnerable living alone
Yesterday in the House of Commons, John Baron MP pressed the Secretary of State for Health, Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP, on the Government’s response to the Coronavirus outbreak. Please see ‘notes to editors’ below.
In the Chamber, John asked,
“In welcoming this package of measures, I very much urge my right hon. Friend to encourage businesses to be as flexible as possible so that employees can work from home, and to step up testing for emergency and public sector workers.”
“Will he particularly focus on the elderly and the vulnerable who are living alone? There is a risk that in this sort of scenario they become inadvertently ignored by the system. What more can the Government do to reach out to these people – whether by looking at the voting register or whatever – to ensure that they are catered for? They are particularly vulnerable if they live alone.”
The Secretary of State agreed with John’s points, and urged communities to come together to help each other.
John said afterwards,
“I hope all employers will heed the Government’s announcements and enable their employees to work from home as much as possible. It is also important that testing is ramped up for those at the frontline of dealing with this virus.”
“As for the elderly and vulnerable living alone, I am not entirely satisfied with the Government’s response so far. These groups are often less able to adapt than others, and the Government must reach out to them as a matter of urgency. I am raising this issue with the Prime Minister directly.”
“These events are unprecedented in our recent history, and we will all have to step up to the plate. I have no doubt that we will do this.”
Notes to Editors:
• The Government’s latest announcement is that anyone with a high temperature or a persistent cough should stay at home for seven days if they live alone. If they do not, the whole household should stay at home for 14 days from the day the first person got the symptoms.
• Everyone should stop non-essential contact with others, especially people over 70, those with underlying health conditions and pregnant women.
• Everyone should refrain from all unnecessary travel.
• People should avoid pubs, clubs and theatres.
• People should work from home, if they can.
• By the weekend, those with serious health conditions should be largely shielded from social contact for 12 weeks.
• Further details are available online at: www.nhs.uk/coronavirus.
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