The advocacy alert below is a joint effort among various IDD advocacy groups across the state led by Heidi Moore, a parent advocate for people with IDD. Together the hope is that the guidelines for the Covid-19 vaccine will be rewritten to include all people with an IDD diagnosis and their caregivers will be eligible for the current vaccine tier along with people over 65.
I know people have varying feelings and thoughts about the vaccine, however those who want to get it would appreciate your advocacy no matter what your personal decision is. Below are instructions for advocating to add IDD to the guidance for the Covid-19 vaccination so that it can consistently be given to all people with IDD and their caregivers who want it consistently across the state of GA.
Respectfully,
Heather Daily
Executive Director
Empower Cherokee of GA, Inc.
URGENT: ADVOCACY ALERT
ISSUE: Georgians with intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities (and their caregivers) need to be a top priority in the Georgia COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Plan. Research shows that people with ID/DD are in the top high risk groups most likely to die from COVID-19. Currently, the CDC is now recommending that individuals with pre-existing conditions receive the vaccine NOW. Lives depend on our advocacy efforts. #UniteOurVoices
TO DO: Contact the following individuals via call, email, social media and share with others in your community!
Call: Governor Kemp’s Office Phone: (404) 656-1776 DPH Phone: (404) 657-2703
Facebook message to cut and paste:
@BrianKempGA @GaDPH Please give Georgians with intellectual disabilities & developmental disabilities access to COVID19 vaccines NOW (& their caregivers). People are dying that have pre-existing conditions and cannot get the vaccine in GA. The CDC says that this population needs the vaccine in Phase 1A. Make the change to the plan so those most vulnerable have access to proper care during this pandemic. Thank you for your support. #FixThePlan #ProtectTheVulnerable
(Sign your name and the city you live in and name who you know is impacted)
Email message to cut and paste:
brian.kemp@georgia.gov kathleen.toomey@dph.ga.gov emily.jones@dph.ga.gov fanny.vazquez@dph.ga.gov butch.miller@senate.ga.gov mike.dugan@senate.ga.gov gloria.butler@senate.ga.gov jon.burns@house.ga.gov david.ralston@house.ga.gov james.beverly@house.ga.gov
Please give Georgians with intellectual disabilities & developmental disabilities access to COVID19 vaccines NOW (& their caregivers). People are dying that have pre-existing conditions and cannot get the vaccine in GA. The CDC says that this population needs the vaccine in Phase 1A. Make the change to the plan so those most vulnerable have access to proper care during this pandemic. Thank you for your support. #FixThePlan #ProtectTheVulnerable
(Sign your name and the city you live in and name who you know is impacted
Twitter message to cut and paste:
@GovKemp @BrianKempGA @GADPH Please give Georgians with #intellectualdisabilities & #developmentaldisabilities access to #COVID19 vaccines NOW & their caregivers. People with pre-existing conditions are dying & cannot get the vaccine in GA. #FixThePlan #ProtectTheVulnerable
Heidi J. Moore Parent Advocate for Children with Disabilities and Pediatric Cancer Research For disability information and previous newsletters, please go to www.UniteOurVoices.com , Twitter or Facebook. “United- We Will Make a Difference!”
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