Traveller community at risk during coronavirus

Photo from Pixabay

There are fears members of the Travelling community are particularly vulnerable during this COVID-19 outbreak.

The Tipperary Rural Traveller Project is calling on the local authority to address long-standing issues, including poor sanitation and overcrowding, in halting sites around the county.

Speaking to Tipp FM, Family Support officer, Jack Griffin says many travellers already have underlying health conditions.

It’s well documented that travellers have much poorer health outcomes than the general population.

Traveller men die on average 10 years younger than the national average and women 12 years younger

They are also more likely to suffer from heart or respiratory conditions and diabetes – Covid 19 is particularly dangerous for people with those conditions.

Added to that he says many of the people they work with do not have hand washing facilities including basic services like running water and proper sanitation.