The Coronavirus pandemic is a catastrophic tragedy – a tragedy the likes of which we often see played out in less wealthy parts of the world.
This time, it’s on our doorstep. This time it’s our families, our friends and colleagues. It’s our fellow citizens.For unpaid carers, the impact of Covid-19 is both direct and indirect, and it is devastating.I’ve been caring for my husband, who has a high level, complete spinal injury, for over 20 years.
There are almost 800,000 people in Scotland like me, who look after and support disabled or sick loved ones. Most, like me, are women.
They are the beating heart of health and care systems across the UK.Unpaid carers are the unacknowledged key workers sitting at the heart of the Covid-19 storm.