Resources and Opportunities: Understanding the New Abbott Tests, Speaking Up on Who Should be Prioritized for Vaccines and More

With over 6 million cases of the COVID-19 virus in the United States and roughly 42,000 new cases daily, members seeking to stay informed on how to keep the individuals they support safe might be interested in the following resources and opportunities:

• An article by The Atlantic exploring the promises and limitations of a rapid-results test by the company Abbott, newly authorized by the Administration.
• An opportunity (September 1-4) to participate in the short public comment period for the National Academies’ pending report to develop “criteria should be used to set priorities for equitable distribution among groups of potential vaccine recipients, taking into account factors such as population health disparities; individuals at higher risk because of health status, occupation, or living conditions; and geographic distribution of active virus spread.” There is also a listening session on September 2 from 12pm to 5pm ET associated with this report – details here.
• A paper by the National Institutes of Health about the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities – the announcement for the paper offers a summary.
• A resource by the Department of Health and Human Services to help with “discharge planning and care coordination for adults with disabilities who received care or treatment for COVID-19 illness in an acute care setting, are no longer COVID-19 positive, and require continuation or reconnection to supports and services.”