Blog: The Impact of COVID-19 on Persons with Disabilities

COVID-19 has impacted all Albertans in devastating and widely different ways, but people with disabilities have pre-existing, unique, and complex concerns that have been exacerbated by the crisis.

People with disabilities are more likely to experience poverty, isolation, unemployment, and child welfare intervention. Other factors such as ableism, discrimination, and human rights violations also contribute to the struggle. As the pandemic unfolded, other concerns developed, such as access to personal protective equipment and increased susceptibility to adverse outcomes and death from COVID-19. Response to these challenges has come in many forms from the federal and provincial governments as well as through social agencies, but the impact these services have on each individual varies, with many people voicing concerns that it is not enough. Inclusion Canada (formerly the Canadian Association for Community Living) and a coalition of 34 national disability organizations have put out a call to action to address concerns and create changes in order to protect the lives and well-being of people with disabilities—but challenges are still going unaddressed.

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