Developmental Disabilities Division (DDD)

WASHINGTON – Today, the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) debuted the Get Out The Vaccine website and called on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), their loved ones, and caregivers to learn more about the COVID-19 vaccines. On GetOutTheVaccine.org people with I/DD can find trusted resources and information on finding the COVID-19 vaccine in their area. The pandemic has altered the lives of many and while vaccines offer protection against the virus, people with disabilities may be feeling anxious or unsure about the vaccine and its safety. NACDD is providing the site GetOutTheVaccine.org to help quell the anxieties about the vaccine and provide trusted, reliable, factual information for users.

Donna Meltzer, CEO of NACDD stated, “we want people with disabilities to get back to living their fullest lives. So many people have been isolated from their friends, families, coworkers and their community because of this pandemic. The way to safely re-enter the community is to ensure you and the people around you are vaccinated. We hope people with disabilities, their families, caregivers and Direct Support Professionals who work closely with people every day will take the steps necessary to protect themselves and each other from COVID.”

“We want our community to understand the benefits of the vaccine and feel empowered to make the decision to get vaccinated on their own,” continued Meltzer. “The entire process of getting access and information on the vaccine can be overwhelming. People with I/DD are also facing transportation and internet access problems which can keep them from getting an appointment for a vaccine. Councils across the nation are advocating for greater access to the technology and working across communities to solve transportation problems to help get more people to vaccine sites. We hope GetOutTheVaccine.org will give people high-quality information from trusted sources, so they and their families can make the right decisions for themselves.”

“I am excited that NACDD has launched GetOutTheVaccine.org. I know when I was questioning whether to get the vaccine that finding trusted sources was very important to me and my family,” said Emmanuel Jenkins. “Now, others can use this site to learn about COVID-19 vaccines and find out where they can be vaccinated in their community.”

If you have questions about vaccine safety, we encourage you to visit GetOutTheVaccine.org and watch the NACDD Vaccine Safety Education Webinar on Facebook.