Within the context of the Covid-19 epidemic, the French High Council for Public Health (Haut Conseil de la santé publique, HCSP) analysed the risk-benefit ratio at individual and collective level between confinement and interruption of usual care and the possibilities for reopening day care centres to support certain categories of disabled people.

The difficulties, limitations and risks in connection with confinement and the Covid-19 epidemic are outlined for disabled people, caregivers and nursing and social support staff.

The HCSP statement is based on 3 general principles: a) propose solutions for all situations of disability, b) proceed by degrees and practise subsidiarity, c) guarantee respect for the right of disabled people and caregivers to help come up with solutions together.

The HCSP recommends:

• Encouraging the continuity of support at home
• Equipping, reassuring and informing disabled people, caregivers, nursing and social support staff
• Organising, in stages, the continuity of support and management of cases of Covid-19 for disabled people which may, as a last resort and under exceptional circumstances, require the reopening of day care centres
• Organising and securing transport, through risk awareness and guidelines shared among individuals, professionals and professional caregivers
• Monitoring ethically or socially complex situations