Vaccine Prioritization Protocol Request

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Covid-19 Vaccine Prioritization: Urging inclusion of people with T1D at the same level as T2D!

The CDC currently categorizes people with T2D as being at increased risk while indicating people with T1D “may be” at increased risk, potentially resulting in the approximately 1.6 million with T1D receiving the vaccination later than others with the same risk category.

Help us correct the vaccine prioritization for people living with T1D and send a letter to your state leaders informing them of the importance of including people with T1D in the high risk priority list.

NOTE: California and Utah have introduced even more nuanced protocols than most states with an A1C criteria for people with diabetes waiting to get vaccinated. Residents' letters additionally urge state leaders to drop this harmful requirement.

We just need a few pieces of information to connect you with your representatives. You will be prompted to send the letter on the next page after clicking Take Action.

*Our research indicates that the following 12 states categorize all people with diabetes as high risk individuals in their vaccination protocols and are not being targeted in this campaign: Alabama, Alaska, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, Wyoming. Please keep in mind the situation is fluid - we are monitoring daily.

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The Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition (DPAC) is an alliance of people with diabetes, caregivers, patient advocates, health professionals, disease organizations and companies working collaboratively to promote and support public policy initiatives to improve the health of people with diabetes. DPAC seeks to ensure the safety and quality of medications, devices, and services; and access to care for all 34.2 million Americans with diabetes. Learn more at Diabetespac.org

Covid-19 Vaccine Prioritization: Urging inclusion of people with T1D at the same level as T2D!

This letter to your respective state health department director brings to their attention that it would be problematic for any state to differentiate between people with T1d and T2D in their prioritization of access for the COVID-19 vaccines. If you are a resident of California or Utah your letter will also reference the harmful A1C criteria implemented.

The following targets are your governor and state health department head (if available)

Subject: Please protect people with Type 1 Diabetes

Message:

I am writing to ensure our state’s COVID-19 vaccination procedures reflect no differentiation between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes patients in their prioritization of access for the vaccine.

Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) categorizes people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) as being at increased risk while indicating people with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) “may be'' at increased risk. As states are utilizing the CDC risk classification when designing their vaccine distribution plans this raises an obvious concern as it could result in the approximately 1.6 million with T1D receiving the vaccination later than others with the same risk.

New clinical evidence makes clear that individuals with T1D are at essentially the same risk to those with T2D for greater morbidity and mortality from COVID-19. Those with T1D have a 3.3 fold greater risk of severe illness, are 3.9 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 and have a three-fold increase in mortality compared to those without T1D. These risks are comparable to the increased risk already established for those with T2D .

The new science leaves little doubt that there should be no distinction between individuals with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes patients, given the common, heightened risk both groups face for the most severe health outcomes of COVID-19.

In light of this information, I urge you to join AK, AL, MD, MN, MT, NE, NY, NC, RI, TN, VA, and WY and take immediate steps to ensure our state’s vaccine rollout procedures reflect this equal risk. Doing so is particularly important and time-sensitive, as it would be problematic for our state to differentiate between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes patients in their prioritization of access for COVID-19 vaccines.

Remaining:

The following target is your governor and state health department head (if available)

Subject: Please protect people with diabetes in California

Message:

I am writing to ensure our state’s COVID-19 vaccination procedures are updated to address two issues that could cause unnecessary suffering and discrimination in the diabetes community.

California’s requirement that a person with type 2 diabetes (T2D) must have an A1C greater than 7.5 is ill-advised and discriminatory for many reasons:
- The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), an organization within CDC comprised of leading medical and public health experts, does not recommend consideration of A1C.
- Requiring an A1C test prior to qualification for the COVID-19 vaccine places an undue burden of a finger stick lab test for people with T2D during a pandemic where many, if not most, routine doctor visits are done virtually.
- People of color or lower socioeconomic status are impacted disproportionately by type 2 diabetes; these same communities are less likely to have access to healthcare providers and more likely to be uninsured.
- 48 out of 50 states do not have an A1C requirement, making California an outlier and not a leader.

I urge removal of this unnecessary and burdensome requirement.

Furthermore, I strongly suggest adding type 1 diabetes (T1D) to the prioritization for high-risk populations. Studies show that all people with diabetes – type 1 and type 2 – share a common, heightened risk for the most severe health outcomes of COVID-19 (Source: Vanderbilt University, https://doi.org/10.2337/dc20-2260). Given this, there should be no preference for one type over another. Over a dozen states are rightfully prioritizing T1D equal to T2D; California should do the same.

As your constituent, I urge you to remove the barrier of A1C reporting to qualify for access to the COVID-19 vaccine and to include all types of diabetes in the higher risk priority list. Thank you for your consideration.

Remaining:

The following target is your governor and state health department head (if available)

Subject: Please protect people with diabetes in Utah

Message:

I am writing to ensure our state’s COVID-19 vaccination procedures are updated to address an issue that could cause unnecessary suffering and discrimination in the diabetes community.

Utah’s requirement that a person with diabetes must have an A1C greater than 9.5 is ill-advised and discriminatory for many reasons:
- The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), an organization within CDC comprised of leading medical and public health experts, does not recommend consideration of A1C.
- Requiring an A1C test prior to qualification for the COVID-19 vaccine places an undue burden of a finger stick lab test for people with diabetes during a pandemic where many, if not most, routine doctor visits are done virtually.
- People of color or lower socioeconomic status are impacted disproportionately by diabetes; these same communities are less likely to have access to healthcare providers and more likely to be uninsured.
- 48 out of 50 states do not have an A1C requirement, making Utah an outlier and not a leader.

As your constituent, I urge you to remove this unnecessary and burdensome barrier of A1C reporting to qualify for access to the COVID-19 vaccine. Thank you for your consideration.

Remaining:

Your state has already designated people with T1D as high priority for the COVID-19 vaccine - thank you for your advocacy!

The comment period for this document is now closed. But, you can still help!

Your state has already designated people with T1D as high priority for the COVID-19 vaccine - thank you for your advocacy!

The comment period for this document is now closed. But, you can still help!

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