The National Cabinet has approved a plan to increase support for people living with disability in order to manage the transmission of COVID-19.
Minister for Disability, Suzanne Orr said the plan, Management and Operational Plan for People with Disability, provides guidance on a range of factors that needed to be considered in order to manage and prevent the transmission of COVID-19 for people with disability.
“We know that people with disability have specific needs and support that cannot be addressed without a direct, targeted plan,” Ms Orr said.
“That’s why it was so crucial for both health and disability sectors to work out this strategy, to make sure that essential services continue uninterrupted during this period,” she said.
“The ACT Government worked with State, Territory and Commonwealth Governments on this plan to ensure that the unique needs of each jurisdiction are met.”
Ms Orr said the ACT Government was working on a Territory specific plan and developing an ACT Disability COVID-19 Strategy to address some of the local issues not covered in the National Plan.
Minister for Health, Rachel Stephen-Smith said the National Plan reflected a recognition by all Australian Governments that people with disability were particularly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, whether through service disruption or due to an increased risk from the disease due to underlying health conditions.
The 36-page plan adopted by the National Cabinet can be accessed at this PS News link.
