Advocates urge state to allow people with developmental disabilities to get COVID-19 vaccine sooner
By: Mike Petchenik, WSB-TV
NORTH FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Advocates for one of Georgia’s most vulnerable populations, people with developmental disabilities, are lobbying for them to get vaccines sooner rather than later.
Lizette Dunay’s son, Alex, was born with cerebral palsy.
“We have to be very careful because if he does get COVID… he has epilepsy, as a lot of individuals with cerebral palsy do have it, so high fevers can trigger a seizure,” Dunay told Channel 2′s Mike Petchenik of her 18-year-old. “So it’s very stressful right now as a caregiver.”
Dunay has joined a chorus of parents and advocates lobbying the state to move residents with developmental disabilities up the list of vaccine eligibility.
“I would love to see the governor put our community in the same category as individuals over 65,” she said. “I honestly don’t understand what the rationale was when the governor and the state made the decision to allow caregivers for people over the age of 65 to get vaccinated, but not caregivers of children with severe disabilities and special needs.”
The executive director of Georgia’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, Eric Jacobson, told Petchenik his organization sent letters to state officials asking for the change before the vaccine rollout.
“The pandemic has affected this community tremendously,” he said. “People with disabilities have unfortunately died because of the pandemic.”
Jacobson said he’s been disappointed by Georgia’s response to their inquiries.
“We know that other states across the country have done a much better job of getting folks with disabilities in that 1A and 1B category, and we think Georgia ought to be doing the same.”
Petchenik reached out to the Georgia Department of Public Health, and a spokeswoman sent him this statement:
“The Georgia Department of Public Health is working to make COVID vaccine available to all Georgians as quickly and efficiently as possible. The unfortunate reality is that the demand for vaccine far outweighs supply. As production of current vaccines is increased, which we hope to see in coming weeks, and as other vaccines are approved for use, our goal is to provide vaccinations to everyone, especially those at highest risk of exposure and infection.”
This article was broadcast on WSB-TV Ch 2 Action News @ 6 pm and WSB-TV Online on 1/20/2021.
