Thirty-fourth Middlesex District State Rep. Christine Barber.

Representative Christine Barber of Somerville and Medford led a sign-on letter campaign with 84 members of the House and Senate to call on Governor Baker to prioritize individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their caregivers in the second phase of the state’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution.

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely and devastatingly impacted people with I/DD. Recent studies on the impacts of COVID-19 have found that having an intellectual disability is the greatest risk factor, other than age, associated with COVID-19 deaths.

Families of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities have been active in reaching out about the health risks and challenges of accessing vaccines. The letter, sent this week, emphasizes a need to also prioritize the vaccination of caregivers for persons with I/DD.

“The pandemic has had a severe impact on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families,” said Representative Christine Barber (D-Somerville). “Many people with disabilities have also had difficulty with preventative health measures and disruptions to health services they normally rely on as a result of the pandemic. Giving people with disabilities vaccine priority ensures their safety, keeps our communities safe, and further reduces the spread of COVID-19.”

84 legislators signed on to the letter, which was sent to Governor Baker this week. Representative Barber is continuing to work closely with her House and Senate colleagues, along with disability justice advocates to ensure the state’s vaccination distribution plan and COVID-19 recovery is equitable and inclusive of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.

— Office of Representative Christine Barber