As of March 15, 2021, COVID 19 vaccines are available to people with disabilities above the age of 16. All consumers of Regional Centers, Independent Living Centers, and In-Home Supportive Services are eligible for the COVID vaccine. FREED advocates for individuals to “self-certify” their qualifying disabilities, but if documentation is needed, FREED will provide such documentation to its consumers if requested. If you want such documentation, please contact Jessica at 530-477-3333, jessica@FREED.org, in the Grass Valley office or Karen James, 530-742-4474, karenj@FREED.org in the Yuba City office.
On March 15, people with certain significant, high-risk medical conditions or disabilities will become eligible for vaccines statewide, to help save the lives of people who are at high-risk of death and severe complications from COVID-19. The national supply of the vaccine remains limited, so appointments for the estimated 4.4 million Californians with these conditions or disabilities will not immediately be available to all who are eligible. As supply increases throughout the spring, more appointments for vaccines will become available.
What high-risk conditions or disabilities make a person under 65 eligible for a vaccine after March 15?
People ages 16-64 can be eligible if they are deemed to be at the very highest risk to get very sick from COVID-19
EITHER because they have one or more of the following severe health conditions:
• Cancer, current with weakened immune system
• Chronic kidney disease, stage 4 or above
• Chronic pulmonary disease, oxygen dependent
• Down syndrome
• Solid organ transplant, leading to a weakened immune system
• Pregnancy
• Sickle cell disease
• Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies (but not hypertension)
• Severe obesity (Body Mass Index ? 40 kg/m2)
• Type 2 diabetes mellitus with hemoglobin A1c level greater than 7.5%
OR if, as a result of a developmental or other significant, high-risk disability, one or more of the following criteria applies:
• A COVID-19 infection is likely to result in severe life-threatening illness or death; OR
• Acquiring COVID-19 will limit the individual’s ability to receive ongoing care or services vital to their well-being and survival; OR
• Providing adequate and timely COVID care will be particularly challenging as a result of the individual’s disability.
These three criteria include people with a range of physical and behavioral disabilities. Examples include: all enrolled consumers of Regional Centers, Independent Living Centers, In Home Supportive Services, Community Based Adult Services/Adult Day Health Centers, Medi-Cal HIV/AIDS Waiver, Medi-Cal Home and Community-Based Alternatives Waiver, Medi-Cal Assisted Living Waiver, Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, California Children’s Services Program (if the child is 16-21 years old), and California Genetically Handicapped Persons Program.