“It’s quieter. All of our vaccinators are familiar with this population. We provide accommodation for those who need it,” said Dr. Wendy Ross, who is the director of the Jefferson Health Center for Autism and Neurodiversity.
The waiting room had only two chairs, and the staff had spinners, headphones, and sunglasses on hand.
The clinic administered approximately 50 Johnson & Johnson vaccinations in over six hours.
Providers responsible for this say that this slow pace is what patients with IDD, those with intellectual or developmental disabilities need.
“Not everyone tolerates crowds and broad lines, and I think the population we serve in particular is really at high risk of getting and dying because of COVID,” Ross said.
Ross and her team conducted a study of more than 64 million cases of COVID-19 and found that patients with IDD are nearly six times more likely to die from the virus, the second largest risk factor for age. .
“A lot of people we know who are in this category don’t really know how to protect themselves, or I really can’t tolerate that. I don’t like to tolerate that,” said Stanley Jaskiewicz, who also -brought his son to the clinic. “It didn’t fall into any of the categories. I didn’t know when and where.”
Batisha Andrews is patient with Jefferson, as is her brother Shawn.
They both say they are grateful for this clinic and that it is only one blow.
“I feel great that I finally managed to get vaccinated,” she said.
Following Jefferson’s study, 11 states, including Pennsylvania, changed their vaccine launch to include IDD patients.
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