People with a developmental disability, or an intellectual disability are now eligible to receive the Covid-19 vaccine. The Department of Health has updated the eligibility requirements to included individuals with certain disabilities that put people at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness in current eligibility phase. This includes
Individuals with Down syndrome, a developmental disability, or an intellectual disability, or who are deaf/hard of hearing, blind/low-vision, or deafblind; AND that disability or an underlying medical condition increases their risk for severe outcomes per the CDC’s list of the conditions that put people at increased risk of severe illness.
Visit findyourphasewa.org to complete the eligibility process.
The Department of Health has also clarified the definition for caregivers eligible for the vaccine. Caregivers who meet the below definition are eligible for vaccine in 1a as workers in health care settings.
- Eligible caregivers (licensed, unlicensed, paid, unpaid, formal, or informal) who support the daily, functional and health needs of another individual who is at high risk for COVID-19 illness due to advanced age, long-term physical condition, co-morbidities, or developmental or intellectual disability. For the caregiver to be eligible, the care recipient:
- Must be someone who needs caregiving support for their daily, functioning, and health needs.
- Can be an adult or minor child. For dependent minor children, the caregiver is eligible if that child has an underlying health condition or disability that puts them at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness. For example: a caregiver of a minor child with Down syndrome.
If you are a caregiver, visit findyourphasewa.org and respond “Yes” when asked if you work in a health care setting. For the Find your phase in languages other than English visit https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19/VaccineInformation/HowToGettheVaccine/Languages