Statement on the prioritisation of persons with Down syndrome in the COVID-19 vaccination rollout – May 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic constitutes a serious challenge in implementing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) and the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals in respect of people with Down syndrome.
People with Down syndrome are being left behind in the COVID-19 response around the world. COVID-19 has exposed inequalities, deepening existing discrimination and marginalisation.
This must not happen in the rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations, particularly in light of the current limitations of vaccine supply.
Furthermore, despite growing evidence that they are at greater risk of death from infection and severe outcomes from specific issues associated with the syndrome, not all countries have policies in place to vaccinate people with Down syndrome against COVID-19 as a priority.
We call on national governments and UN agencies to:
- recognise people with Down syndrome as a priority group;
- make COVID-19 information campaigns and vaccination sites inclusive and accessible to people with Down syndrome;
- ensure that organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) are actively involved in the development of COVID-19 related planning and policy-making and that vaccinations must only happen with free and informed consent and
- collate data on the vaccination of people with Down syndrome, disaggregated by age and sex and shared this in accessible formats.
