an In The Media Appearance
"California COVID vaccine mandate extends to aides for people with disabilities" - California News Times. 10/04/2021
Scott Landes, of the Syracuse Center for Aging and Policy Studies (CAPS) discusses reasons for the elevated risk of dying from COVID-19 among persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
Studies show that people with intellectual or developmental disabilities often have an underlying health condition. “And when they are diagnosed with covid-19, they are about two to three times more likely to die of the disease,” Landes said. The case seems to depend on two variables: The amount of face-to-face intimate care required by existing conditions and people with developmental disabilities. “This really makes sense for covid,” he said. “If you have a caregiver right next to you all day long, it will increase your chances of getting sick.”