You can read the recommendations on our webpage in full but I'm going to tweet the rest here too so that there's no risk of people missing them. Let the tweetathon on #DisabilityRightsAndCovid19 begin! @BonaveroIHR @DRUK @OxfordLawFac https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/news/2020-07-02-affront-dignity-inclusion-and-equality-coronavirus-and-impact-law-policy-practice

On reforming the Coronavirus Act 2020, disability rights&mitigating effects
of the pandemic we urge the government to 1. Undertake an immediate review of legislation passed during the coronavirus crisis communication thereof. ...

In doing so, we ask that government change this legislation&all related policymaking2meet its duties under the Equality Act 2010, commitments2the
@UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities&take steps 2avoid or
mitigate any potential disadvantage4disabled ppl

From Prof Anna Lawson's paper:2. Implement recommendations made by the 2016 @UKHouseofLordsSelect Committee Report on
the Equality Act 2010&Disability, by the @Commonswomequ Committee, on
enhancing the enforcement of the Equality Act 2010...

. .both by removing deterrents to individuals
bringing disability discrimination cases; and by measures which embed the monitoring and
enforcement of relevant duties in the work of regulatory and inspection bodies.
@BnsJaneCampbell @Tanni_GT

3. Undertake an inquiry on the impact of COVID-19 on disabled people to examine why this
group has carried such a heavy burden for the pandemic, including the scale of Covid-19
related deaths.

4. Establish a Covid-19 Disability Inclusive Response and Recovery Group, of experts by
experience with disabilities&Disabled People’s Organisations, to ensure disabled people are central to decision-making on the economic and social recovery to the pandemic& guidance.

5. Produce a disability inclusive Covid-19 response&recovery action plan, with this Group&
the @EHRC which reflects the multiple&intersecting
identities of, &forms of discrimination faced by, persons with disabilities, in line with
@UN guidance. @MattHancock @BorisJohnson

This action plan must ensure that infection-reduction policies&practices are developed&implemented in ways that do not disadvantage or exclude disabled people&must be designed2mitigate the immediate impacts of the coronavirus crisis&long-term socio economic social consequences.

And thanks to @agnieszkasshoes excellent piece, on accessibility of government communications consultation we urge government to 6. Involve ppl with disabilities&the Covid-19 Disability Inclusive Response&Recovery
Group at every stage of development of communications messaging

And thanks for this from @lindsayevanslee 7. Ensure all public health information is accessible for disabled people. This includes providing
information inclusive formats such as captioning, sign language, Easy Reade&formats usable by electronic screen readers. @MattHancock

Dan Holloway's @agnieszkasshoes piece on mental illness&neurodivergence: 8. Ensure the communications on policies at times of crisis do not produce negative narratives
which create further discrimination against those with disabilities and other protective
characteristics.

9.Ask these 7 questions when developing government communications: i) If I'm asking ppl to do something, does it seem easy? ii) Does it seem simple?iii) Am I making
assumptions of privilege that could alienate some ppl I'm addressing?iv) Am I confusing
wellness with illness?

9. ... v) Is there a danger what I say now conflicts with what I
have said in the past in a way that singles out disabled people? vi) Am I ignoring people’s
hardship? vii) Am I falsely equating people’s situations?

Thanks to the inimitable @lindsayevanslee , former @WHO technical officer for her recommendations on disabled people’s access to healthcare services to 10. Ensure that disabled people have access to health care services they need over the course of
the outbreak. ...

10. ...This includes regular health care services, but also services related to COVID-19
treatment. Disabled people must have access to scarce health resources such as ventilators on an equal basis with others.

11. Ensure that the reasonable adjustments disabled people had in place for healthcare services
prior to the COVID-19 outbreak remain operational, including provision of water,
sanitation, WASH* facilities, care services and transportation. * https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/facilities/healthcare/en/#:~:text=The%20term%20%E2%80%9CWASH%20in%20health,all%20parts%20of%20a%20facility.

On shielding the vulnerable from Professor Jonathan Herring's thoughtful piece @jojohjhj
12. Ensure advice to shielding people takes account of their caring responsibilities and relational welfare. @OxfordLawFac

And 13. Ensure pandemic response and recovery measures better accommodate those shielding to promote their wellbeing. For example, if a future lockdown is needed, to provide times of the
day when only those shielding are permitted outside.

Tea break! Back now... On the social care of disabled people, Dr @briandsloan recommends that government 14. Repeal the so-called ‘easements’ of local authorities’ duties under the Care Act 2014 as soon as is feasible. @MattHancock @JonAshworth

15. Reconsider reliance on European Convention on Human Rights to provide a minimum level of protection for social care users, given their limited effectiveness in this context, and add a duty to protect from a risk of abuse and neglect.

16. Establish an emergency cross-party working group to produce a White Paper setting out draft new legislation to ensure that social care is adequately, fairly&sustainably funded to ensure the dignity of its users and workers. @MattHancock @JonAshworth @DrRosena @soniasodha

From @KamranMallick &I Provide local authorities with resources to enable them to hold Citizens’ Assemblies for Homes
fit for the Health of the Nation, in order to place disabled people’s independent living at the
heart of ‘building back better’. @SimonClarkeMP @DRUK

And from @sarasiobhan moving piece on people with learning disabilities 18. End the longstanding disregard and dehumanisation of learning disabled people by enshrining
the human rights model of disability in law... @JustinTomlinson @MarshadeCordova

18...focusing on the inherent dignity&inestimable
value of each human being&placing the individual centre stage in all decisions affecting their lives. 'Building back better' means casting aside medical model of disability&*finally* focussing on social&disability rights models

On mental health
19. Reverse the modification of mental health and mental capacity legislation under Section 10
and Schedule 8 of the Coronavirus Act 2020. @NadineDorries @DrRosena

On disabled people’s access to food 20.Produce urgent guidance on supporting access2food for disabled people during the current
coronavirus crisis&future pandemics aligned with duties under the Equality Act
2010&the UK’s commitment to the UNCRPD @RobertJenrick @GuyOpperman

On disabled people’s access to education during the pandemic
21. Reverse the so-called ‘relaxation’ of duties on local authorities to provide Educational Health
Care Action Plans to young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. @GavinWilliamson @KateGreenSU

There ends the marathon. Feel like it's Twitter record. Please RT thread so we can get action on #DisabilityRightsAndCovid19 @johnpringdns @bbcouch @FoxNikkiFox @vickyfoxcroft @benjamincohen @vsmacdonald @katlay @whjm @MartinBagot @susannareid100 @sallyephillips @cdndebs