Covid-19 vaccination is important for people with underlying health, but access varies from state to state.health

“One of the first things my dad told me when I was diagnosed was that I had to fight for myself and my health for the rest of my life,” McCulloch told CNN. It was. “So when I got in and got the vaccine … I felt that reassuring.”

Since then, many states have immunized the following priority groups, including other essential workers, the elderly, and more recently people with comorbidities or underlying illnesses that increase the risk of diabetes and the like. It was.

However, the movement to vaccinate people with diabetes and other specific conditions is not uniform nationwide. In some states, people with comorbidities are not yet eligible for vaccination. It also depends on the conditions under which someone can be vaccinated in a qualified state and whether paperwork is required to determine its condition.

Most states that vaccinate people between the ages of 16 and 64 with certain comorbidities define eligibility conditions by t.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guidance Which condition is associated with an increased risk of serious illness due to Covid-19 infection?

The CDC states that adults of all ages with the following underlying disorders are at increased risk of severe Covid-19: cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD, Down’s disease, heart disease, obesity and severe obesity, sickle cells Disease, smoking, and type 2 diabetes. This list also includes people with weakened immunity due to solid organ transplants or pregnancy.

In some states, the list of eligibility conditions includes only some of these conditions, but in others, if you need to live in two or more of these conditions to be eligible. there is.

To New HampshireFor example, if you have more than one condition, you are eligible for a Phase 1b vaccine if your condition is confirmed by a healthcare professional, but if you have only one condition, you are in Phase 3A, which has not yet started. I will.

To OhioAccording to the State Department of Health website, people with certain congenital, developmental, or early-onset and hereditary conditions in addition to developmental or intellectual disabilities are eligible for vaccination.

The state of Colorado, where McCulloch lives, has not begun vaccination against certain comorbidities or people with underlying health conditions such as cancer, heart disease, or diabetes.

A local pharmacist who vaccinated McCulloch’s mother said the pharmacy had some additional vaccines that needed to be given promptly, allowing McCulloch to receive the first dose of the modelna vaccine. Otherwise, the dose will expire and you will not be able to use it.

“They asked her if anyone knew she was living with diabetes, such as diabetes or heart disease. In fact, she had her husband and two daughters both with diabetes. I said I’m living, “McCarlock said. “That’s why I was able to go.”

When McCulloch arrived at the pharmacy to receive the vaccine, the pharmacist sought evidence that McCulloch lived with diabetes. McCulloch said he showed the pharmacist a blood glucose monitoring sensor on his arm, some of the medical data that the app tracks, and health insurance information.

“Just being in the right place and at the right time allowed me to line up and take my first dose,” McCulloch said. She is scheduled to take her second dose on February 15th.

“I recognize how the rollout took place and because my mother is a teacher of special education, I am in a very privileged position,” McCulloch said.

“For example, my dad and my twin sister haven’t been vaccinated yet,” she said. “That’s part of the problem right now. State rules are very different, and after all, people with comorbidities are worth vaccination like everyone else.”

People with certain comorbidities and underlying illnesses are currently eligible to sign up for Covid-19 vaccination in nearly 12 states. New Hampshire, New jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, New Mexico, Virginia, Mississippi, Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska And MontanaAccording to a CNN analysis on the Public Health Department website.

Some of these states have started vaccination against this group, while others have only started pre-registration. Within the state, it may vary from county to county.

In some other states, vaccination will begin soon this month.

“This week, as the state’s efforts to vaccinate health care workers are nearing completion, we are shifting doses to prioritize New Yorkers with comorbidities and pre-existing conditions. This is the destructive nature of COVID. It’s a group that bears the brunt of. “New New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said in a news release this week.

“As soon as we get enough vaccine, we don’t have to waste time protecting the wider part of the most vulnerable people,” Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said in a news release Wednesday.

However, the way an individual confirms his or her underlying condition depends on the location.

Some states, such as New Mexico and New Mexico, require a document to prove that they have an underlying illness when booking a vaccination. For example, New Yorkers must provide either a doctor’s memo, a medical record, or a signed certificate.

In New Mexico State Department of Health Notes, “Individuals must be prepared to verify their medical eligibility. To do so, individuals must be prepared from a provider, emergency department or discharge summary, prescription bottle, prescription, or other form of verification. You can provide a note. “

No paperwork is required in other states such as New Jersey, Texas, and Virginia.

Lara Anton, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Health, told CNN in an email Thursday: “I don’t want to create barriers that prevent people from getting vaccinated. To identify a chronic condition, the healthcare provider has a medical history of the person. The person can self-disclosure his or her eligible medical condition. They do not need to provide a document to prove that they are eligible. “

Lori Tremmel Freeman, Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of County and Municipal Health Officials, known as NACCHO, said it varies from state to state and “part of these vaccine registration processes will be based on the honor system.” I am.

Freeman said he had pre-registered the vaccine in the underlying health category on the online waiting list of the community in Prince William County, Virginia, as a person suffering from high blood pressure. When the county moves to the next vaccination phase, the Covid-19 vaccine will be given to its priority group.

“In my own jurisdiction, the pre-registration of people with underlying conditions is based on an honor system to tell you the truth,” she said. “I didn’t have to provide proof of medication, a diagnosis of the underlying condition, or anything like that.”

Freeman said there are many ways in which residents can learn about the eligibility of the Covid-19 vaccine through local health departments, community organizations, and religious communities.

McCulloch, who was first vaccinated in Colorado, is certainly looking forward to when his twin sister and father are eligible for vaccination in their area.

“I believe in healthcare, I believe in science,” McCarlock said. “This is important for the health and safety of our population.”

Ashley Ahn of CNN contributed to this report.