Vaccine Prioritization Dashboard for People With Disabilities Launched

The new tool developed by Johns Hopkins compares how states prioritize disability community in COVID-19 vaccine rollout; helps disabled people determine when they qualify for shots.

A new data tool developed by John Hopkins helps people with disabilities determine when they qualify for the COVID-19 vaccine. The tool compares how different states prioritize the disability community in the vaccine rollout.

Created by researchers, students and advocates who themselves are disabled and have personally experienced how inequitable and inaccessible the pandemic response has been, the COVID-19 Vaccine Prioritization Dashboard launched to not only help the disability community get vaccinated, but also to arm policymakers with data to improve the system.

COVID-19 Vaccination in India: Issues and Challenges
India’s COVID-19 vaccination program has been launched. It currently uses the vaccines Covishield and Covaxin. There are some issues and challenges that need to be overcome in order to vaccinate all Indians.

‘The new tool developed by Johns Hopkins compares how states prioritize disability community in COVID-19 vaccine rollout; helps disabled people determine when they qualify for shots.’

“There’s been a persistent gap in the pandemic response for the disabled community. It started with testing and we’re seeing it being echoed in the vaccine rollout,” said Bonnielin Swenor, director of the Johns Hopkins Disability Health Research Center. “Being part of that community, we understand that need and want to empower the stakeholders and policymakers with data.”

The university’s Disability Health Research Center created the dashboard in collaboration with the Center for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities.

The idea was sparked by Johns Hopkins senior Sabrina Epstein. Epstein has a genetic connective tissue disorder called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome which puts her at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Because EDS is considered a rare disease, it is not listed a high-risk chronic illness for vaccine prioritization, making it difficult for Epstein to determine when she can get vaccinated.

Covid Vaccine in 2021: Pfizer-BioNTech to Produce 2 Billion Doses
US-based pharma major Pfizer and a German pharmaceutical company BioNTech are gonna increase the manufacturing capacity to produce two billion doses of Covid-19 vaccine in this year, 2021.

“I was trying to register my grandfather for his vaccine in Texas and I noticed that I already qualified in Texas because of my chronic conditions but in Maryland I don’t qualify yet I’m still waiting,” said Epstein, who is majoring in public health studies. “I realized from my own example that it’s happening to lots of people and there’s so much confusion. We want people to be able to use this tool to identify if they or their family or friends qualify for a vaccine in their state and to advance advocacy efforts.”

The tool will be updated weekly.

Can Cancer Patients Take Covid Vaccine?
Cancer specialists on the occasion of the World Cancer Day observed on February 4 every year, said that cancer patients too can take Covid-19 vaccine, but under medical supervision.

Another barrier to vaccines for the disability community is the accessibility of information. Often state websites rely on charts and tables that can be difficult or impossible for people with vision impairments and other disabilities. This new tool was created with accessibility in mind.

“The prioritization schemes aim to reduce infection and mortality but access and accessibility has to also be part of that equation,” Swenor said. “There are certain members of the disability community that as of this moment don’t have access to the information or can’t get to the vaccination sites. The path forward has to include accessibility, or we’re never going to reach equity in the pandemic response, as over a quarter of the population has a disability.”

Covid Vaccine Available to All U.S Citizens By 'This Spring': Joe Biden
US President Joe Biden's underpromise-overdeliver strategy on Covid-19 vaccine allocation landed its most optimistic message yet, pointing to vaccination for any American who wants a shot by this Spring .

The COVID-19 Vaccine Prioritization Dashboard: https://disabilityhealth.jhu.edu/vaccine/

Source-Newswise