Since January 4, PCR tests have been reserved for people working in the health network or who are hospitalized, homeless people, Indigenous people and those who work in environments deemed to be high risk.
In the midst of a surge in cases, the rest of the population must now turn to rapid tests. Without the availability of these tests or the ability to use them, people with symptoms will have to assume that they are infected and go into isolation.
We do not question the importance of prioritizing testing. But it is inconceivable that people with disabilities are not entitled to PCR tests. Far from being exceptional, this exclusion follows a long list of “oversights” on the part of the government since the start of the pandemic.
An exclusion putting several people at risk
Many people with disabilities require home support to perform essential daily tasks, such as getting up, dressing or eating, while others need it for cleaning, cooking or getting around. These people therefore regularly receive people working in health care, employees or caregivers at their homes. It is necessary to ensure the safety of people with disabilities and those who assist them. These people cannot afford administrative isolation, they need to know if they have COVID-19 quickly and efficiently.
For many people with disabilities, it is impossible to carry out a rapid test independently. A visual limitation prevents seeing the result, for example, while dexterity problems make the various manipulations required unfeasible. For some, it is impractical, even dangerous, to insert a swab into the nose. The rapid test procedure requires two tests to be taken within 24 hours to confirm a negative result. This therefore implies receiving support twice from a person who is not necessarily trained to be in contact with possible cases of COVID-19.
Unacceptable risks
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the government has stubbornly neglected people with disabilities, despite all the interventions by community organizations to give it the facts about the reality experienced by thousands of Quebecers. This has gone on long enough, they must be added without further delay to the list of groups entitled to PCR tests. It is a matter of security and equality.
* The signatories are all involved in the community in support of people with disabilities:
• Alexandra Jacques, President of the Person First Movement of Lachute
• Anne Pelletier, Executive Director of DéPhy Montreal
• Annie Perron, Director of the Entre-Amis Group of Baie-Comeau
• Audrey Lefebvre, Coordinator of Autisme Côte-Nord
• Carole Giguère, President of the Association of Blind and Amblyopic People of Quebec
• Carole Normand, Director of the Outaouais Hearing Association
• Christian Venne, president of the Association of visually handicapped people of Lanaudière
• Claude Ménard, President of the Users’ Committee of the CRR La ResssourSe
• Daniel Deschênes, Executive Director of the Usher Syndrome Association of Quebec
• Denise Ménard, President of the Montérégie-Centre Users’ Committee
• Dominique Salgado, Director General of the Action Committee for People Living with Disabilities
• Elsa Lavigne, general manager of AlterGo
• Evelyne Forcier, Director of the Person First Movement of Joliette
• Francine Boulet, President of the Continuing Users Committee of the Institut Nazareth & Louis-Braille
• Gerald Gagné, administrator of the Sainte-Anne-des-Monts crossroads
• Amanda Germain, member of the Sainte-Thérèse Person First Movement
• Ghislain Gagnon, Executive Director of the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine Group of Disabled Persons’ Associations
• Gilles Read, Executive Director of the Deaf Community Center of Metropolitan Montreal
• Hélène Hébert, Acting Director of the Quebec Network for the Social Inclusion of Deaf and Hard of Hearing People
• Hélène Lépine, President of the INEEI-PSH Board of Directors
• Huguette Vigneau, director of the Association of visually impaired people BSL
• Jacques Lapointe, Executive Director of Independent Living Montérégie
• Jasmine Lebreux, coordinator of the Disabled People’s Association Estran sector of Grande-Vallée
• Jean Lavallée, president of Parkinson Côte-Nord
• Jean-Michel Bernier, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Regroupement des organizations de personnes handicapes de la Capitale-Nationale
• Joanie Poirier, Executive Director of the Association of Visually Handicapped People of Gaspésie and Îles-de-la-Madeleine
• Julie Brousseau, Executive Director of Audition Québec
• Julie Dubé, event coordinator at the Life Development Module of Sept-Îles
• Karine Descôteaux, General Manager of the Educational and Recreational Association for the Blind
• Louise Bourgeois, President of the Federation of Person First Movements of Quebec
• Mara Audet Leblanc, General Manager of the Laval Association for Paratransit Inc.
• Marie Turcotte, Executive Director of Ex æquo
• Marie-Chantal Lépine, President of the Person First Movement of Saint-Eustache
• Marie-Hélène Bolduc, Vice President of Programs and Services, Muscular Dystrophy Canada
• Mathieu Francœur, coordinator of the Disabled People’s Movement for access to services
• Michel Aubut, President of the Person First Movement of Metropolitan Quebec
• Nathalie Ladouceur, President of the Person First Movement of Laval
• Olivier Villeneuve, Director of the Person First Movement of Saint-Jérôme
• Pascale Dussault, Executive Director of the Association of Blind and Amblyopic People of Metropolitan Montreal
• Patrick Fougeyrollas, Scientific and Public Relations Advisor of the International Network on the Disability Production Process
• Paul Lupien, interim president of the Confederation of Disabled People’s Organizations of Quebec
• Pierre Schram, general manager of the audio library L’Oreille qui lit
• Pierre-Yves Lévesque, President of PIMO
• René Binet, Director General of the Grouping of visually handicapped people (regions 03-12)
• Richard Lemieux, Executive Director of the Association of Visually Handicapped Outaouais
• Roland Savard, Director General of the Quebec Association of Parents of Visually Handicapped Children
• Smaille Pierrilus, Director General of AMEIPH
• Serge Poulin, Executive Director of the Association of users of adapted and accessible transport on the island of Montreal
• Carole Sirois, Director of the Manicouagan Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Association
• Sophie Lanctôt, from Société Logique
• Steve Ouimet, director of the Association la Croisée
• Sylvain Brouillard, General Manager of Independent Living-Montreal
• Sylvie Girard, coordinator of the Association of people with visual difficulties of Manicouagan
• Sylvie Vaillancourt, Executive Director of the Côte-Nord Handicapped Persons Association Round Table
• Tamara-Jeanne Dubé, Acting Director of the Association of Persons with a Hearing Impairment