BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) – Will individuals with intellectual and development disabilities be eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine?
Those living in congregate care settings are eligible to receive it, but advocates of the special needs community want the state to expand vaccine eligibility to include those with disabilities who either live on their own or are under the care of family at their own home.
"We know that this population of individuals is at a higher risk of hospitalization and, unfortunately, death from COVID," Oishei Children Hospital Chief Medical Officer Dr. Stephen Turkovich said. "Due to that significant increased risk, we are strongly advocating that New York State include both them and their caregivers in the current round of vaccine eligibility."
New York State is allowing those who have a compromised immune system to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, though the state does not specifically define who is in that category. According to the CDC, people with down syndrome are at greater risk of severe illness and death. It does not list other disorders such as cerebral palsy and autism.
"The online eligibility determinator or app that is used does not allow those with down syndrome to sign up for the vaccine unless they are in a congregate setting or group home," Emily Mondschein, Executive Director at Gigi's Playhouse in Buffalo, said. "The issue for us is that there are so many individuals with Down's Syndrome that are living independently and with families under self-directed plans through (New York State's Office for People with Development Disabilities), meaning they are not in a group home or institution. For those reasons, they are not able to gain access to the vaccine."
There are approximately 7 million people eligible to get the coronavirus vaccine, though about 1 million residents in New York State have received the vaccine because of an extremely limited supply. While expanding the eligibility would add thousands more people on the eligibility list, advocates said it's important.
"When the CDC has put out a recommendation for those who are medically at risk and down syndrome is on the list, we just have to do what that says," Mondschein said. "We can't pick and choose who should get this vaccine. The good thing about down syndrome is that there are not a whole lot of people living with down syndrome locally who would get the vaccine. That's kind of a benefit in that area at well."
Advocates are also pushing for caregivers to be eligible to receive the vaccine.
"Our singular goal is to get as many New Yorkers vaccinated as quickly as possible – but due to a lack of supply from the federal government, we are not able to further expand eligibility at this point," a spokesman from the governor's office said. "Currently, over 7 million New Yorkers are eligible for the vaccine, but our weekly allocation of doses from the federal government was cut without any explanation. While we understand the concerns and requests from all New Yorkers, we are constrained until the Federal government steps up and provides more doses – hopefully this will all change with the new administration."
New York State is also working with the federal government to clarify the list of those who are immunocompromised and should be prioritized.
Dr. Turkovich said other states, like Ohio, have increased eligibility for the special needs community and hopes New York does the same.
"It's important that we call the state's attention to these errors and misses," he said. "The hope is, and I expect they will, they will correct this mistake and open it up to them."
