TESTIMONY
Molly Senack, Representative for the Center for Independence of the Disabled New York on Vaccine Accessibility and Barrier Removal
0:59:25
·
124 sec
Molly Senack discusses the significance of vaccine accessibility for students with disabilities and the importance of removing barriers to vaccination.
- Highlights the strict vaccine requirements for school enrollment in New York and the dual problem created by lack of herd immunity.
- Points out the additional barriers faced by students from immigrant families, low-income backgrounds, and those living in temporary housing.
- Proposes solutions such as vaccine reimbursement programs, providing information in multiple languages, and strengthening partnerships with community organizations.
- Criticizes cuts to funding for community schools and school nurses, emphasizing the risk to student health from inaccessibility to vaccines.
Molly Senack
0:59:25
Hi.
0:59:26
Thank you so much.
0:59:27
My name is Molly Sanek, and I am testifying on behalf of the Center for Independence of the Disabled New York.
0:59:35
So we talked a little bit about herd immunity, and the lack of herd immunity creates a dual problem specifically regarding disability and the student body.
0:59:44
Students who have a disability that prevents them from being vaccinated as you guys heard earlier such as a compromised immune system, have diminished protection against diseases that can cause them irreversible harm, and also the reason back aiding against certain diseases became the standard was because those diseases had the potential to cause permanent disability, such as polio, which we just saw cases of again.
1:00:07
So New York actually has some of the most stringent vaccine requirements needed for school enrollment in the country.
1:00:14
However, those enroll those requirements are only effective if the barriers to fulfilling them don't become significant enough to supersede their importance.
1:00:22
So to lower this risk, New York City should be taking initiatives to remove as many of these barriers to the vaccine accessibility as possible.
1:00:29
Students from immigrant families, from low income families, and who live in temporary housing all face additional barriers in navigating the process of fulfilling vaccine requirements.
1:00:38
New York City can help remove these barriers through vaccine reimbursement programs, through better access to information in multiple languages, and stronger partnerships with community organizations that might be able to provide additional aid.
1:00:50
Partnerships with community organizations were effective during the 2019 measles outbreak, but New York City is currently cutting funding for community schools that provide these connections.
1:01:00
New York City is also currently cutting funding for school nurses whereas increasing this funding or just simply not cutting it could mean more access to in school vaccinations, removing barriers for those who have difficulties receiving them elsewhere.
1:01:13
So, emphasis really needs to be placed on preventative measures to make sure vaccines don't become inaccessible.
1:01:18
Otherwise, we are just collectively risking the health of our students, both those currently disabled, and those who could become so by contracting a disease node to be forgettable.
1:01:27
So thank you for your time.
