Your advocacy WORKED! Your voices were heard!
Starting Monday, March 8, COVID vaccinations in South Carolina will open up to phase 1b, which includes:
- People aged 16-64 with one or more of the following high-risk medical conditions: Cancer (current, not a history of cancer), chronic kidney disease (any stage), chronic lung disease, diabetes (Type 1 and Type 2), Down syndrome, heart disease (congestive heart disease, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, pulmonary hypertension), HIV/AIDS, solid organ transplant, obesity (BMI >30), pregnancy, sickle cell disease.
- People who have a developmental or other severe high-risk disability that makes developing severe life-threatening illness or death from COVID-19 infection more likely
- Anyone aged 55 and up
- Frontline workers with increased occupational risk, and;
- Individuals at increased risk in settings where people are living and working in close contact
More information is available on the SC DHEC website.
If you fall into category Phase 1A or 1B, you can use this map to locate vaccination sites and register for yours. If you have difficulty navigating this website, please call Able SC at 803-779-5121 and we can assist you in scheduling a vaccine appointment.
A special thank you is in order for Gov. Henry McMaster, Dr. Linda Bell, and Dr. Jane Kelly of SC DHEC for listening to the voices of people with disabilities in South Carolina and moving them to a higher priority.
And to everyone who advocated for the health and safety of disabled people in South Carolina: THANK YOU! Your voice made a real impact and changed the course of South Carolina's vaccination efforts. We are so proud of this community.
Other COVID-19 services we offer:
- Help in advocating for yourself and your rights
- Assistance understanding the virus, safety tips, and finding COVID-19 testing sites
- Peer support every Tuesday and Thursday at 1 PM online!
- Guidance on transitioning out of an institution (like a nursing home, hospital, or care facility) into community-based living
- Advocacy to prevent at-risk individuals from being instituionalized
- Connecting individuals with all available resources through Information & Referral.
No comments:
Post a Comment