Mother has no 'plan B' for disabled child if she contracts Covid-19

The mother of a severely disabled child is scared about becoming ill with Covid-19, because there is no “plan B” for her son’s care.
“I am really worried about what will happen to Fionn, if I become ill,” said Brenda O’Connell Barry, a former recipient of the Cork Carer of the Year award.
Fionn, 5, has a rare genetic mutation, known as NACC1, a neurodevelopmental disorder that can cause severe epilepsy.
Brenda cares for Fionn full-time, at their home in Ballyhea, near Charleville, in north Cork, while her husband, Trevor, works as an electrician in a factory in Shannon, Co Clare.
Fionn, who was born prematurely, at 36 weeks, in August 2014, has a tube in his stomach for liquids and medication, because he has difficulty swallowing.
"He cannot walk, stand, or even sit unaided. He cannot talk and has a visual impairment.
“No-one can care for Fionn if I get sick. I have lupus myself, so I am immuno-suppressed and it may have an impact on my ability to recover, if I contract Covid-19,” said Brenda.
“Trevor has to keep working for as long as he can, because we have a mortgage and the provider is not offering a payment break because of Covid-19.

"We also have a substantial credit union loan that we are paying back every week,” Brenda says.
Brenda has nursing support during the week and if she lost that, she would not be able to cope.
“Fionn was vomiting over a few days last week and then he got very agitated over the weekend. He did not sleep at all.
"The nursing support lets us get a bit of sleep. If I was to lose that because of coronavirus, I don’t know how long I could keep going,” she says.
Many people like Brenda have contacted Family Carers Ireland, worried about what might happen if they or their loved-ones contract the coronavirus and have to self-isolate.
The organisation’s spokesperson, Catherine Cox, said family carers need to know how to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the home, as well having a step-by-step plan on what to do if a family member is unable to continue caring.
The organisation has an emergency guide to help carers be prepared for such eventualities and is now urging the HSE to present a clear protocol on how the health service will deal with such cases.
Another major concern for family carers is the shortage of personal protective equipment, such as hand-sanitiser gel and gloves.
Family carers are also worried that they may be unable to access medicines, incontinence pads, catheters, diet supplements, and other items, as the situation worsens.