All parents worry about what will happen if their children contract coronavirus, but for Jess Stevens the fear is much more acute.
Her 14-year-old son Jerrah has a profound intellectual disability and a compromised immune system.
“My main concern as a parent at the moment is the health and wellbeing of my son and if he did potentially contract this virus that he may end up in intensive care or worse, that it might even be fatal,” she told SBS News.
She said the stockpiling of goods such as baby wipes and hand sanitisers had been devastating for her family, which rely on these items daily.
"We have support workers using hand sanitiser, we're using wipes every day because Jerrah is incontinent. They're things that we haven't been able to purchase,” she said.
The coronavirus crisis has also had a major impact on the delivery of essential services through providers such as the National Disability Insurance Scheme according to a survey of 200 families of children and young people with disability.
The survey, conducted by the Australian Coalition for Inclusive Education and Children and Young People with Disability Australia found that 34 per cent of families have had support workers or other NDIS services cancelled.
Fifteen per cent said they had not been able to buy medication for young people with disability and 82 per cent said they didn’t have access to essential supplies.
The survey also highlighted the lack of information families were receiving about the crisis with some citing the absence of Auslan interpreters at public health announcements.
Supermarkets have experienced shortages on basic sanitary items following panic buying across the country. Source: SOPA Images
Eighty-six per cent of those surveyed said they weren’t receiving the information they needed to keep their children with disability safe during the crisis.
“Governments across Australia need to take decisive and immediate actions for the tens of thousands of families who are worried that their kids with disability could be seriously harmed by Australia’s confusing approach to managing COVID-19 among at-risk groups, including immuno-suppressed kids,” Mary Sayers, CEO of Children and Young People with Disability Australia, said.
“We understand the sands are continually shifting as new information about COVID-19 comes to light, but what’s not going to change is the measures that need to be taken to ensure kids with disability aren’t compromised more than other kids,” she added.
Ms Stevens urged those who were stockpiling hand sanitiser and other items to consider whether or not there was someone else in the community with a greater level of need.
“Unless you have a severe autoimmune condition or this condition could be potentially dangerous you should consider other people,” she said.
NDIS Minister Stuart Robert said families, carers and providers will be given clear direction if services are disrupted.
"We have plans in place to ensure NDIS participants, providers and the NDIA are supported, and to ensure the continuation of services in the case of an escalation in the incidence of COVID-19," he said.
"NDIS participants, families, carers and providers will be given clear direction if services are disrupted in any way, ensuring they have options to continue accessing supports."
He added that the most up-to-date information is available on the Department of Health website.
