Lawmakers push to prioritize Minnesotans with Down syndrome for COVID-19 vaccine

A group of Minnesota legislators is asking state health officials to move up people with Down syndrome in the COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan.

In a letter sent Thursday to Health Commissioner Jan Malcom, 17 bipartisan state senators accused the Minnesota Department of Health of "neglecting some of our most vulnerable citizens."

The fight is personal for Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen, who served as chief author.

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The Republican, who represents Alexandria and Fergus Falls in the Minnesota Legislature, has a 61-year-old brother-in-law with Down syndrome who lives with his family.

"Since his mother and dad passed away, my wife and I decided to take him in here," Ingebrigtsen said.

For the last month, families of individuals with Down syndrome have pleaded with the state to move up this vulnerable population in the distribution plan, citing serious underlying health conditions.

The push to prioritize people with disabilities comes amid calls by advocacy groups asking for the same treatment for other at-risk populations.

"I’m not saying there aren’t other groups that shouldn’t have it as well," Ingebrigtsen said. "I just think this is an area where we know the consequences of getting this for these people."

A study done in the U.K. reveals people with Down syndrome who contract COVID-19 are five times more likely to end up in the hospital and 10 times more likely to die from the virus as the general population. The research attributes underlying health conditions and other co-morbidities as a direct link.

"This could be very devastating for this group of people," Ingebrigtsen said.

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He and his wife know firsthand how scary an experience this is and how important it is to protect individuals like his brother-in-law.

"Both of us ended up having the COVID virus ourselves," Ingebrigtsen said. "We were able to quarantine him enough to keep it away from him so far."

He said his wife soon after learned she was eligible for the vaccine.

"She said, ‘I’d just as soon let my brother have the shot and I would wait, I’d be put down on the list a little further,’" Ingebrigtsen said. "She was denied that opportunity."

In the last week, the MDH has reiterated there is not enough vaccine to match demand at this point. They do plan to announce soon how distribution will work over the coming months.

Sen. Ingebrigtsen is still waiting for a response to his letter.

"I’m not here to beat them up," he said. "I’m just here to say, ‘Let’s do a little better planning maybe and get these people involved before you start moving down to another segment.’"