California Expands Access to Vaccines For People With Disabilities

Californians under the age of 65 who have disabilities or severe underlying health conditions will be eligible for coronavirus inoculation starting March 15, state officials said on Friday, responding to the outrage. prompted by a recent change intended to accelerate the state’s slow rollout of vaccines.

California had provided staged vaccines, prioritizing people with high-risk health conditions over healthy adults and some essential workers over others, but changed course in late January after the complexity of his system seems to slow the distribution. In the new system, the many categories have been replaced with levels based on age.

But as people with chronic illnesses and disabilities have been displaced by people 65 and older, the move has sparked widespread anger and confusion. Bay Area activists accused Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration of abuse and slammed the governor on Twitter with the hashtag #HighRiskCA. California now joins a handful of states offering eligibility for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities or those with underlying health conditions.

The adjustment will extend Covid-19 vaccinations to people over 16 who are weakened or immunosuppressed by cancer or organ transplants. It will also include people who are pregnant or have chronic lung disease, Down syndrome, sickle cell anemia, heart problems, severe obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease stage 4 or more, and those whose life or continuing care is otherwise likely to be threatened by Covid-19.

“I want the disability community to know, we heard you, and we will do more and more to provide access, even with the scarcity” of vaccines, Governor Newsom said on Friday, visiting a vaccination center in mass in San Francisco. Moscone Center.