News and notes from Imagine! and the Imagine! Foundation.
Imagine! Update on Vaccine Distribution
Jan-12-2021
Services
See letter below from Imagine! CEO Rebecca Novinger regarding the COVID-19 Vaccination. Additionally, be sure to bookmark Imagine!'s COVID Update Pages to get the latest information regarding Imagine! services and more: https://imaginecolorado.org/covid-19-community
Hello friend of Imagine! –
Over the past few weeks, Phase 1 of Colorado’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan has been underway.
While there is a great deal of uncertainty around this issue, most of which is out of Imagine!’s ability to control, I’d like to do my best to share what I know and don’t know. Please note two things:
First, Imagine! is NOT a provider of the COVID-19 vaccine. We will not be able to administer the vaccine to individuals receiving services, to employees, or to contractors, nor are we able to direct which individuals will be placed in which phase of distribution.
Second, information in this post may change as circumstances change.
Over the past few weeks, Phase 1 of Colorado’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan has been underway.
While there is a great deal of uncertainty around this issue, most of which is out of Imagine!’s ability to control, I’d like to do my best to share what I know and don’t know. Please note two things:
First, Imagine! is NOT a provider of the COVID-19 vaccine. We will not be able to administer the vaccine to individuals receiving services, to employees, or to contractors, nor are we able to direct which individuals will be placed in which phase of distribution.
Second, information in this post may change as circumstances change.
For the past several months, Imagine! has been working diligently behind the scenes to advocate for the prioritaztion of COVID vaccinations for our fellow citizens with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). These efforts have involved not only members of our leadership team lobbying at the local and state level, but also in close association with Alliance, the Colorado association of Community Centered Boards (CCBs) and Program Approved Service Agencies (PASAs) that is dedicated to strengthening services and supports for individuals with I/DD, and ANCOR, a national, nonprofit trade association representing more than 1,600 private community providers of services to people with disabilities.
While the situation is fluid and marked by many unknowns, we will continue to advocate for prioritizing the protection some of our most vulnerable friends and neighbors. We encourage all those who are members of the I/DD community to do the same.
While the situation is fluid and marked by many unknowns, we will continue to advocate for prioritizing the protection some of our most vulnerable friends and neighbors. We encourage all those who are members of the I/DD community to do the same.
We’ve also been in close, constant communication with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) directly as well as Boulder and Broomfield county officials to ensure those living and working in our group homes are prioritized. These efforts have paid off and individuals we serve in group homes, and their support staff, will be captured in Phase 1b of vaccine distribution.
At this time, it is our understanding that all other individuals with an intellectual and developmental disability, and their direct support staff, will be placed in Phase 2 of the distribution plan.
While the fact that we have vaccine is great news, a full rollout and distribution will take several months. That means that staff members and clients will continue to be required to take safety precautions including wearing of PPE, social distancing, and proper hygiene for the time being. Imagine! will only adjust these safety precautions once public health officials advise it is safe to do so.
At this time, Imagine! will not require staff to be vaccinated.
Imagine! strongly encourages all who are able to receive a vaccination to do so as soon as possible. The sooner we can get to herd immunity, the better, and your participation by being vaccinated will help move that process forward. Any decision to vaccinate should be made in consultation with your primary care provider.
We will do our best to share information with families, clients, and staff members about where and when they can get the vaccine, as well as resources so you may learn more about the vaccine. Please educate yourself about the vaccine, the timeline for distribution, and engage in the process in any way you can. The State of Colorado’s COVID vaccine page is updated regularly: https://covid19.colorado.gov/vaccine
Again, we can only share information. Imagine! is NOT a distributor of the vaccine itself.
I appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate this unknown territory. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me, or any member of Imagine!’s Executive Team, with questions you may have that were not answered by this post.
Thank you for believing in the potential of all.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Novinger
CEO, Imagine!
