High-risk families want higher priority for COVID-19 vaccine
High-risk families want higher priority for COVID-19 vaccine By Kelsey Barchenger | February 4, 2021 at 12:43 PM CST - Updated February 4 at 12:43 PM
MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - As the vaccine continues to roll out, families with high risk health conditions are wondering when it will be their turn.
Researchers found that individuals with down syndrome were almost five times more likely to be hospitalized from COVID and at 10 times higher risk for death from the disease.
Researchers suspect immune abnormalities along with three copies of chromosome 21 rather than the usual two make people with down syndrome more vulnerable to severe complications.
Adults with down syndrome push for Covid vaccine prioritization
“It’s been absolutely terrifying or our family,” Leslie Neugent, JJ’s mother said.
Neugent, who also works as a minister with adults with Down syndrome, said they have been on lockdown since March.
Researchers found that individuals with Down syndrome were almost five times more likely to be hospitalized from COVID and at 10 times higher risk of death from the disease. They suspect immune abnormalities, along with three copies of chromosome 21 rather than two, make people with Down syndrome more vulnerable to severe COVID-19.
A spokesperson for the Minnesota Department of Health told WCCO the state will follow CDC guidelines, putting the state’s Down syndrome adult population in 1C unless they are in a congregate care setting – which is in tier 3 of the 1A phase.