On Friday 13th October, our Co-founder Ondine Sherwood provided witness evidence to the Covid Inquiry, on behalf of the Long Covid Groups which also includes Long Covid Support and Long Covid Kids
Earlier in the day expert evidence on Long Covid was provided by Professor Chris Brightling and Dr Rachael Evans from the University of Southampton. They expressed shock - as did many other people in the Inquiry room - when shown the document from DHSC on Long Covid upon which Boris Johnson had scrawled 'Bollocks'
Ondine was questioned by Andrew O'Connor KC and described the events which led up to the formation of Long Covid SOS in June 2020. The group's campaigning and letters to ministers were discussed in detail. Areas covered included the sense of abandonment among people experiencing Long Covid which led to the theme for our #messageinabottle film, the lack of recognition by government, difficulties in getting healthcare, the trauma of not being believed, dearth of public messaging and the challenges we as an organisation and the other charities in the Long Covid Group have faced in getting the government to factor Long Covid into their policy-making decisions. Ondine also highlighted the lack of awareness about Long Covid to this day, and the very concerning situation in NHS medical facilities now where minimal precautions against Covid infections are in place.
You can watch the evidence session here:
The witness statement which we submitted to the Inquiry is available here. You can also read the statements submitted by Long Covid Kids and Long Covid Support