Layla Moran, Liberal Democrat MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, and Chair of the APPG on Coronavirus, has secured the first Commons debate on Long Covid, to take place on Thursday 7 January, following cross-party support. The Backbench Business Committee granted the application by Layla Moran, co-sponsored by Dr Dan Poulter MP (Con) and Andrew Gwynne MP (Lab) and supported by many others.
Layla Moran MP said: ‘I’m pleased we’ve been able to secure this important debate on Long Covid, which is long overdue. The APPG on Coronavirus, which I chair, has submitted recommendations to the Government on this, and the debate will give us the opportunity to hold them to account and represent our constituents suffering from it.
‘What’s really important now is that as many MPs as possible take part in the debate, so we can give this the profile it deserves and give the Government the opportunity to listen and respond to our concerns.
‘Thank you to my cross-party colleagues for supporting this. I’m calling on those with lived experience and clinical experience to tell us your stories between now and the 7 January. This is a crucial opportunity.’
Dr Nisreen Alwan, Associate Professor in Public Health at the University of Southampton, added: ‘This is such great news. Debating the significant morbidity generated by COVID19 in Parliament is a very positive step towards moving away from the black and white narrative that has dominated the public discourse and dictated the response to this pandemic.
‘It’s not simply death vs no effect on health from the virus. We now have a huge grey area of long-term illness that public services must be prepared for, both to support people living with Long Covid, and to prevent further illness and disability from it.’
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