Social support and living during the COVID-19 pandemic experienced by persons with disabilities: a qualitative study in Munich

The aim of this study is to better understand how COVID-19 risk and pandemic rules have impacted people with disabilities' access to social support, daily life, and participation in the society in Munich. Data included interviews with fifteen people with disabilities and nine experts. The content analysis yielded five themes: prevention of COVID-19 infection and compliance with regulations; impact on daily life; access to healthcare; social support; and social inclusion. As long as there was continuous social support, people with disabilities were able to adapt to the new restrictions and regulations during the pandemic, despite the fact that the regulations were not adapted to their needs. In addition, lack of Internet access made it difficult to access healthcare, which led to social isolation and exclusion. The study shows that social support for people with disabilities should not be interrupted in times of crisis but should be continued more intensively.