If you need resources about COVID-19 that are easier to read, see our easy read resources.
Advocacy for Inclusion also has easy read resources on COVID-19.
As a person with disability, you may face unique challenges related to COVID-19.
If you have underlying health conditions, you may be at increased risk of experiencing severe illness due to COVID-19.
It is important you, your friends, family and carers understand and follow health advice.
If you wish, you can ask a support person, carer, or worker several screening questions before they visit your home to provide support or care like:
- are you vaccinated?
- do you have any COVID-19 symptoms?
- have you tested positive to COVID-19 in the past 7 days?
- have you recovered from COVID-19 in the last week but have ongoing symptoms?
- do you live in a household with a person who has COVID-19?
Vaccination
The Australian Government Department of Health has published a range of easy read resources on COVID-19 vaccinations.
You can also watch to a video hosted by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care and Inclusion Australia on the importance of getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
This video answer questions from people with intellectual disability.
Getting a COVID-19 vaccine helps protect you from getting very sick if you develop COVID-19.
More information on COVID-19 vaccinations is available on the ACT COVID-19 website.
COVID-19 treatment
If you’re at risk of getting very sick from COVID-19, you should talk to your GP or one of your usual doctors now so you know what to do if you get COVID-19.
Ask your GP about COVID-19 treatments and medications.
There are different types of COVID-19 medications that can help stop you from getting very sick or needing to go to hospital. Some can be taken as capsules or tablets.
They need to be prescribed and started as soon as possible after becoming sick with COVID-19 as they work best if taken within 5 days of feeling unwell.
More information on the COVID-19 treatment page.
COVID-19 testing
See information about COVID-19 testing.
NDIS participants can purchase rapid antigen tests (RATs) with funding from their NDIS plan.
COVID-19 symptoms
There are a wide range of COVID-19 symptoms which can range from mild to severe.
Testing positive to COVID-19
Read our easy read on:
See information for people who test positive for COVID-19.
If you were near someone with COVID-19
Read our easy read if you were near someone with COVID-19.
See information for people exposed to COVID-19.
What to do if you test positive to COVID-19
Read our easy read on what to do if you test positive to COVID-19.
You are encouraged to make a plan if you test positive for COVID-19.
See information for people who test positive for COVID-19.
What to do if you live with someone who tests positive to COVID-19
This advice is for carers who live in the same household as the person with disability who they care for, but do not provide care to any other person with disability outside their household. This advice applies if the person with disability, or any other member of the household, tests positive to COVID-19.
This page should be read in conjunction with the information for people exposed to COVID-19.
If you’re a carer or worker, for a person with disability outside your household, see information for workers, community, and in-home carers.
External care providers can still visit your house to assist with care,
They should follow the relevant precautions for providing care whilst there is someone in the house with COVID-19.
If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, you should get tested, stay at home and avoid others while you have symptoms.
Where possible, appropriately separate from the household.
If you still need to provide care to the person with disability, you should wear a well-fitting mask while providing care or when in shared rooms.
Face masks
See information on face masks.
ACT Health encourages people who provide care to you, who do not live with you, to wear a mask.
They may also wear recommended additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in situations where they are providing close personal care for you.
Health care
If you have COVID-19 and require health care for either COVID-19 or any other medical conditions, there are several options.
Please see the information for people who test positive for COVID-19.
COVID-19 and people with disability videos
Watch Renée Heaton, ACT Disability Reference Group Chair, in these engaging videos that look at the challenges that COVID-19 presents to people with disability. Renee also discusses how to be prepared for a COVID-19 infection, what you need to do to keep safe and how to look after your mental health and wellbeing by staying connected.
Your rights
The ACT Human Rights Commission promotes the human rights and welfare of everyone in the ACT.
The Commission can investigate and conciliate complaints about discrimination and complaints about health, disability, older people, and young people services.
To make a complaint call 02 6205 2222 or email human.rights@act.gov.au.
You can choose to remain anonymous.
The Commission has Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander officers and a dedicated multicultural liaison officer who can help you access services and provide culturally appropriate support.
I’d like to talk to someone further about COVID-19
See contact us.
