Mum of disabled teen: ‘Give family carers priority for tests’

Tracy McGinnis with her son Brendan Bjorn, who is profoundly disabled and has complex medical needs. Tracy, who is solely responsible for caring for Brendan, is pleading with the Government to designate family carers as a ‘priority testing group’ for Covid-19.

A worried mother and family carer is pleading with the Government to designate family carers as a “priority testing group” for Covid-19.

Tracy McGinnis, who lives in Wexford, has two sons, Declan, 11, and Brendan Bjorn, 15. Brendan is profoundly disabled and has complex medical needs.

Tracy is a single parent with no family in Ireland and is solely responsible for caring for Brendan every day.

When Brendan was one month old, he was diagnosed with congenital cytomegalovirus, which caused severe brain damage.

Brendan has many health issues including intractable epilepsy, severe cerebral palsy, unilateral deafness, intellectual disability, intestinal functioning issues, osteoporosis, scoliosis, lung disease, hip dysplasia, and pressure sore issues.

Each morning, Tracy administers five different medications to Brendan, changes his adult nappy, dresses him, gives him his inhaler, and brushes his teeth.

Two weeks ago, Tracy began experiencing coronavirus symptoms, and she requested a test via her GP.

“I first felt ill on Monday, March 16,” said Tracy. “I rang my GP on the morning of March 18, and was tested via a National Ambulance Service paramedic at home on the afternoon of March 24.”

Brendan Bjorn, right, with younger brother Declan.

She asked for Brendan to be tested for the virus along with her, but was told that unless he showed symptoms, he would not be referred for testing — this was before the Government created priority groups.

On the same day Tracy was tested, Brendan got a place in emergency care in LauraLynn, the children’s hospice which provides care for the medically fragile.

“I miss [Brendan] terribly but I know this was the decision I had to make to best protect him,” she said.

Tracy said the situation has been very stressful.

“The only PPE I have here at home are gloves,” she said.

I was tying a pillowcase around my mouth and nose whenever I went in to do Brendan’s cares. Otherwise, I just watched him over the video/audio monitor.

Despite being tested on March 24, Tracy had still not received results.

“The ladies on the phoneline for public health regionally have been great,” said Tracy. “[They have brought] my case to their morning meetings, and details about Brendan Bjorn at Laura-Lynn and me being a lone parent carer.”

However, Brendan is set to come home today.

“He is coming home whether my results are in or not, as [LauraLynn] are only open for emergency cases right now and, per HSE guidelines, I’ve been ill for over 14 days so I must be grand,” said Tracy.

“The family carers like me who provide nursing-level care to our incapacitated loved one must be seen as healthcare workers and given priority in Covid testing.”