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People with learning disabilities with covid-19 are five times more likely to be admitted to hospital and eight times more likely to die compared with the general population of England, finds a study published by
The BMJ today.
Risks were particularly high for those with severe to profound learning disability, Down's syndrome and cerebral palsy.
The researchers say prompt access to covid-19 testing and healthcare is warranted for this group, and prioritisation for covid-19 vaccination and other targeted preventive measures should be considered.
Emerging evidence has shown that people with learning disability are at higher risk from covid-19 related death compared with the general population. But results from existing studies on other covid-19 outcomes are often complicated by factors such as deprivation and underlying conditions (comorbidities).