Hello John,
With its newly released guidance on underlying conditions that pose a heightened risk of severe COVID-19, CDC has now validated what we have known for many months and pushed our government leaders to recognize: People with schizophrenia make up the second most vulnerable population susceptible to dying from this virus.
This new guidance by the CDC directing public health officials to prioritize those with severe mental illness identified as high risk for severe illness or death due to COVID‐19 has the potential to save many lives.
But we have to act fast.
Communities across the country rely on the CDC underlying condition list to target outreach, for eligibility to access booster shots, for services and housing, and other important benefits, and we encourage them to act as quickly as possible.
We need your help getting the word out to your clients, loved ones and neighbors with SMI that they are eligible, right now, for a COVID-19 booster shot.
Our own research demonstrates that a very modest effort to encourage vaccination leads to consistently higher rates of vaccination for people with severe mental illness than that of the general population.
“The moment research began to break demonstrating how dangerous COVID-19 is for those with serious mental illness, our top priority was to fight for families affected by these diagnoses to ensure they were not overlooked,” said Lisa Dailey, executive director of the Treatment Advocacy Center.
“Thanks to the CDC’s decision, my sister and many of our loved ones – among those most at risk – are now eligible for a booster shot. And most important, our communities now know that this population needs and deserves to be prioritized,” added Dailey.
