On Friday, Massachusetts added type 1 diabetes, HIV, overweight and substance use disorder to the list of health conditions that qualify residents for the current and future phase of the COVID-19 vaccination, aligning the state with the recommendations. from the federal government.
The additional conditions expand the number of residents who are currently eligible to be vaccinated and who will be eligible when the state opens vacancies for a larger group on Monday. People with two or more qualified health problems can be vaccinated and, on Monday, people aged 55 and over and those with a qualified health problem will be able to make an appointment. The eligibility pool on Monday will be expanded to about 1 million people, according to the state.
The change also aligns the state with the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“This week, the CDC added more medical conditions that are linked to an increased risk of serious illness from COVID-19,” the Baker government said in a statement on Friday. “Massachusetts will adopt this guideline and make individuals eligible as of April 5 if they have one of these medical conditions. As a result of adopting the CDC list, more residents will be eligible as of April 5. “
Previously, the state listed obesity and severe obesity with a body mass index of 30 pounds per square meter or more. The state website now lists “overweight and obesity” as qualifying conditions and directs residents to the CDC website to calculate their body mass index.
The state is currently building a tool that will allow pre-registered residents to change their registration if they qualify under the conditions just added. The feature will be “available soon,” the statement said.
Eligible medical conditions include: cancer; chronic kidney disease; chronic lung diseases, including COPD, asthma (moderate to severe), interstitial lung disease, cystic fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension; dementia or other neurological conditions; diabetes (type 1 or type 2), Down syndrome; heart diseases such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies or hypertension; HIV infection; an immunocompromised state; liver disease; obesity; pregnancy; sickle cell disease or thalassemia; smoke; transplantation of solid organs or blood stem cells; stroke or cerebrovascular disease; or substance use disorders.
Amanda Kaufman can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on twitter @ amandakauf1.