As Plan B ends in England and the other nations in the UK remove different aspects of COVID protections, the news is all of learning to live with the virus and getting back to normal. For very many people with MSK conditions this is not the experience. Whether it is people facing long waits for treatment or people taking medication that puts them at increased risk, living with the virus and its consequences is harder for some.
As Plan B ends, ARMA members’ helplines are again flooded with calls from people who are immunosuppressed, worried about their needs being forgotten again. What can we do to support them?
Firstly, not to dismiss their fears. The last two years have been hard for all of us but harder for those most likely to have a severe illness if they contract COVID-19. During those two years they have been forgotten in so much of the media coverage. Many of them may not realise how much things have changed since this time last year. It is important that everyone who would be eligible for the new treatments if they contract COVID-19 knows about this and how they can access the treatment. It’s not perfect – nothing in this COVID world is. But it is a massive step forward for the safety of people who are immunosuppressed but has not been communicated well. This Facebook live session, Hope on the Horizon, explains the treatments and their benefits so if you are talking to someone in this position, make sure they have seen it and understand the benefits the new treatments can bring.
Secondly, whilst in England the work-from-home advice has ended, it is important that employers and employees know that the advice for people who are immunosuppressed remains “work from home if you can. If you cannot work from home, speak to your employer about what temporary arrangements they can make to reduce your risk.”
Those waiting for delayed treatment need a very different type of support. They have also suffered from poor communication and changing circumstances as operations and appointments are postponed, in some cases multiple times. Those waiting for hip and knee surgery have felt forgotten, wondering if they are still on the list, struggling in pain. Every time another wave hits NHS services they must be wondering how many weeks that will add to their wait. These are people who have tried all the conservative management and prevention. It hasn’t worked – that’s why they have decided to have surgery.
What can we do to support their physical and mental health during their long wait? This is the challenge that Solving Together is looking to address. In some places innovative support has been put in place. We need to gather these ideas to share with areas which are struggling to know how to support people. Ideas are welcome from healthcare professionals, organisations or people with experience of waiting for surgery. Please get involved.
“Learning to live with the virus” is not something for each of us to do in our own separate way. We are interconnected, and the learning must be done collectively.