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As I continue to hear from self advocates, families, and allies who are wondering where people with developmental disabilities are within Canadian COVID vaccination prioritization policies, I thought of this old Wendy's commercial (Where's the beef?). https://images.app.goo.gl/k9LmJUppuyK1pQs98
In this image, the 3 women are TOGETHER, they have a number to call to voice their concerns, & someone who answers. In our sector, ppl are isolated, & too often there is no one to speak with, but the question remains: Where are developmental disabilities in vaccination policies?
Of course, these things are being sorted through, & it takes time to communicate decisions, but the period of waiting, of uncertainty, is INCREDIBLY stressful. Ppl have legitimate concerns, w higher rates of COVID deaths, & many hard to manage restrictions & resource gaps
We are "seeing the beef" in other prioritization documents from other countries. I will share in this thread some examples from international colleagues whose countries have made mention of developmental disabilities in some way in their prioritization efforts
First, the UK prioritization document lists specific types of developmental disabilities in its list of underlying health conditions, & it also includes primary carers of these individuals https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/priority-groups-for-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccination-advice-from-the-jcvi-30-december-2020/joint-committee-on-vaccination-and-immunisation-advice-on-priority-groups-for-covid-19-vaccination-30-december-2020
In Germany (just use google translate) we see ppl with developmental disabilities, Down syndrome & workers in stage 2 https://www.aerzteblatt.de/nachrichten/119549/Schutzbeduerftige-zuerst-Regierung-legt-Reihenfolge-fuer-Coronaimpfungen-vor
In Sweden we see ppl with disabilities who get disability income support, and workers who support them being listed https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/nyheter-och-press/nyhetsarkiv/2020/december/alla-over-70-star-nast-pa-tur-for-vaccin-mot-covid-19/
In the Netherlands, where they have larger residential care settings for this population, vaccinations of workers and ppl w developmental disabilities in these institutions has already begun with expansion into smaller settings coming https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/coronavirus-vaccinatie/aanpak-coronavaccinatie-in-nederland
In the US, like Canada, it goes state by state, but this document shows that the majority of states have included ppl w developmental disabilities either in Stage 1b or 2 in all but 8 states under "vulnerable populations". https://www.nashp.org/each-states-plan-for-vaccinating-its-populations-against-covid-19/
Some states have included staff and ppl with developmental disabilities in group home settings in their first phase of vaccination roll out, like New Jersey https://www.nj.gov/humanservices/ddd/documents/covid19-vaccine-phase-1a-fact-sheet.pdf
And New York. This link also shows some clear communication and resources from the office for ppl w developmental disabilities from Dec 17th https://opwdd.ny.gov/coronavirus-guidance/covid-19-vaccine
Why this group needs to be included as a priority population, & how to prioritize within developmental disabilities is a topic for another thread, but it is important that this group is being considered and that we communicate this to stakeholders here in Canada
For more info on why this group should be prioritized in Canada, check out this piece from the Royal Society of Canada COVID-19 series https://rsc-src.ca/en/voices/priority-for-covid-19-vaccine-must-include-those-with-intellectual-developmental-disabilities
