Californians with high-risk well being circumstances can quickly get vaccinated. What proof shall be wanted?

Adults under 65 with disabilities and underlying health conditions will soon be eligible to get vaccinated against coronavirus. However, advocates of disability rights fear that efforts to require people to demonstrate their eligibility may prevent or discourage injecting the potentially life-saving vaccine.

Starting March 15, two groups of younger, high-risk Californians – people with disabilities and people with serious underlying diseases – will be able to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, state health officials said on Friday.

However, they haven’t yet said how high-risk Californians will be asked to prove their qualifications or how the authorities will prevent those who do not meet those qualifications from making appointments or otherwise completing the requirements. California Health Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said the state will spend the next month determining what type of review is needed.

For a senior to be able to prove that he or she is qualified for a vaccination based on their age, a driver’s license or other form of identification is sufficient. There is no universal document available for a person with a disability or illness who can demonstrate that they are qualified for a vaccination, according to the medical authorities.

Some disability rights advocates downplay the likelihood of fraud, but say that proving disabilities or underlying health conditions could be too burdensome and could either prevent or prevent some people from being shot.

“As a person with a disability, I want to make sure we don’t have to have evidence of our disability that would have people jumping through too many hoops,” said Christina Mills, executive director of the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers and a committee member, which advises the state on the introduction of its vaccination.

Underlying diseases that will lead to vaccine approval in March include cancer, chronic kidney disease stage four or higher, chronic lung disease, Down syndrome, a weakened immune system due to an organ transplant, sickle cell disease, pregnancy, heart disease, and severe obesity – defined as a body mass index at or over 40 – and type 2 diabetes. The state has not indicated what disabilities would qualify people for inclusion in this next group.

Andy Imparato, executive director of Disability Rights California, also a member of the advisory board, said many people with severe disabilities have cards or documents that they enroll in programs or centers, or show that they are receiving home care. However, people with some disabilities and qualified frameworks do not necessarily carry cards that prove their eligibility.

For example, a woman in early pregnancy may only have the results of a home pregnancy test to prove her right to a shot under the extended admission rules.

It could be difficult to get eligible people to visit or call their doctors to get a review as many medical providers are already overburdened, he said. According to Mills, advocates of disability rights have opposed proposals requiring vaccine-seekers to provide three pieces of evidence of disability or the underlying conditions.

“I hope fraud concerns don’t pose a barrier to people receiving the vaccine,” said Imparato.

Imparato and Mills both said they do not expect many people who pretend disability to receive vaccines, but recognize that it is a concern of state officials.

The bending of the rules is not unknown when it comes to health-related exceptions. Law enforcement officials have long complained about abuses of the use of blue parking permits for disabled people by non-disabled people, and airlines have been concerned about the proliferation of companions’ emotional support – to the point that some are taking steps to ban them on flights.

Steve Rubenstein, a contributor to the San Francisco Chronicle, contributed to this report.

Michael Cabanatuan is a contributor to the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: [email protected]