COVID-19 health and social care access for autistic people: European policy review.
Bethany OakleyJulian TillmannAmber RuigrokAurélie BarangerChristian TakowTony CharmanEmily JonesJames CusackMary DohertyPierre ViollandAgnieszka WroczyńskaEmily SimonoffJan K BuitelaarLouise GallagherDeclan G M Murphynull nullPublished in: BMJ open (2021)
The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated existing healthcare inequalities for autistic people, probably contributing to disproportionate increases in morbidity and mortality, mental health and behavioural difficulties, and reduced quality of life. An urgent need exists for policies and guidelines on accessibility of COVID-19 services to be updated to prevent the widespread exclusion of autistic people from services, which represents a violation of international human rights law.