At Issue: Vaccine Priority for People with Disabilities

While Barrie seems to be set up to distribute vaccines at a rapid rate, advocates and those living with disabilities say they’re being passed over.  

Specifically, as things stand, those with intellectual or developmental disabilities aren’t prioritized in the current vaccination plan -- when you're watching this interview, things may be different. 

Across Ontario -- and Canada -- many people with disabilities need direct care and in-home support. For those in congregate living situations, that close contact living means physical distancing is far more difficult. 

People with intellectual disabilities and developmental disorders are three times more likely to die of Covid-19. 

Camphill communities in Barrie penned a press release calling for the provincial government to rethink its vaccine strategy. 

Currently, only one of their residents qualifies for the vaccine because of the person’s age. 

However, the rest of the people who live at camp Hill won't qualify until the second stage of vaccines -- which could start as late as July. 

That puts people living, visiting and working there at a heightened risk. 

Camp Hill Communities is a not-for-profit collection of residential homes, where people with developmental disabilities live, work and learn together. 

I spoke with various members of that community in a Zoom call. Larry Palmer is Camphill’s executive director. 

Annette Parson is a resident of Camp Hill in Barrie whose normal schedule -- including volunteering at an animal shelter -- has been paused for a year. Jamie Currie also lives at Camphill, and speaks about how the pandemic has impacted him: he wants to get the vaccine so life can go back to normal. 

Kathrine Killam is Camp Hill’s community development coordinator and Anthony Wheeler has been a long-time visitor to Camphill, hanging out with friends, cooking and sharing meals and playing games. 

As well, on the call, is Elizabeth Mohler, the director of the Camphill board and is a PhD candidate who’s long studied and consulted on policies that impact the lives of people with disabilities. 

In this conversation, we focus on access to vaccines, but also about how life has changed at Camp Hill and how some members of their community have navigated the uncertain times of the pandemic.