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Take action against ending free COVID-19 testing kits

Join us in calling on the UK Government to continue free tests for people who are eligible for COVID-19 treatments, their families and close contacts.

The UK Government is ending free COVID-19 tests for everyone excluding people at highest risk of severe illness from April 1st. The impact this will have, is that family, friends and carers run the risk of exposing vulnerable people to infection unless they can afford to keep paying for tests.

RAIRDA has joined LUPUS UK, Scleroderma and Raynaud’s UK, MS Society, Blood Cancer UK and Kidney Care UK as well as other charities in voicing our concerns to the UK Government in considering the needs of all higher-risk patients (like people with RAIRDs) and assessing their risk of catching COVID-19. No person should have to face being at risk because they simply can’t afford a COVID-19 test. We all have the right to be protected.

We and other charities are calling the on Government to: 

  •  continue to make adequate numbers of lateral flow tests available for free for those 1.3 million people that are eligible for Covid-19 treatments, their households and personal contacts, regardless of whether they have symptoms or not; and
  • to provide new money to the NHS and Local Authorities to continue to fund regular testing of frontline health and social care

To help us #PlanToProtect, fill out this EMAIL TEMPLATE and send it to your local MP

To find your local MP you can use your postcode or a place name and insert it into this Find MPs service. Once you click on your local MP their contact details will appear including their email.

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RAIRDA is calling on you to raise the profile of rare autoimmune rheumatic diseases in Parliament. Send our template letter to your local representative today and help #ResetTheBalanceForRAIRDs. rairda.org/get-involved/2…

It's great to see that the 2023 Rare Diseases Action Plan references the recommendations made in RAIRDA's #ResettingTheBalance report, and that it highlights the work being done on a quality standard for rare disease by the IAG to the UK Rare Diseases Forum. twitter.com/DHSCgovuk/stat…

Our co-chair @lanyon_peter attended the #RareDiseaseDay parliamentary reception yesterday. It was a great opportunity to meet with others from the rare disease community, and to hear from @GeneticAll_UK, @LizTwistMP and @Helen_Whately. @MBythell pic.twitter.com/gPRAFGNL51

Take action this #RareDiseaseDay by contacting your parliamentary representative to ask them to advocate for people with RAIRDs. Together, we can #ResetTheBalanceForRAIRDs. rairda.org/get-involved/r…

This #RareDiseaseDay, read about RAIRDA's plan for #ResettingTheBalanceForRAIRDs, and how you can get involved rairda.org/rare-disease-d…

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