PEOPLE THAT suffer from sickle cell and thalassemia have been neglected during the coronavirus pandemic, a new report reveals.

Published by The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Sickle Cell and Thalassemia (SCTAPPG), the report titled Cast Aside and Forgotten investigates the difficulties of people living with or caring for those with the disease living in the Midlands during the coronavirus pandemic.

People with sickle cell, an inherited blood disease which predominantly affects those from African and Caribbean backgrounds are an at-risk group according to NHS guidelines.

However, those with other genotypes that are still affected by the disease are not mentioned in guidelines.

It was later discovered that people with the disease were being mistakenly classified as clinically extremely vulnerable.

Chair of the SCTAPPG, MP Pat McFadden MP, hailed the report has a means to understand the overlooked reality of living with sickle cell during a pandemic.

“As in other walks of life, it shows the need for more understanding of this condition as well as the need for better treatment.  I hope the report is read by those who can make a difference in health care, the benefits system and many other walks of life,” he said.

The failure to adequately care for the sickle community prompted the Sickle Cell Society (SCS) to launch a full report, as the pandemic continues to disproportionately affect people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.

The report shows that Black and minority ethnic people make up 35% of almost 2,000 COVID-19 patients in intensive care units in the UK.

It also points out that of the 119 NHS workers known to have died during the pandemic, 64% were from an ethnic minority background.

The report recommends that the SCTAPPG write to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for COVID Vaccine deployment and ask that those with sickle cell are considered a priority group.

They also suggest it should be made clear to GPs and GP practices that they should be given the option of in-person appointments.