Biden Administration Announces New Actions to Support People with Disabilities Re: COVID-19
On Thursday, the Biden Administration released a fact sheet, “Administration Announces New Actions to Address the Needs of People with Disabilities and Older Adults in Response to and Recovery from COVID-19.”
The document outlines a variety of new measures to support people with disabilities, ranging from health-related actions to long-term services and supports. One new measure involves ongoing support to schools to ensure students with disabilities can safely learn in-person.
The fact sheet notes, “Some students may need additional protections to ensure they can remain safe in the classroom – including students who are immunocompromised, with complex medical conditions, or with other disabilities that may put them at higher risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19.” It goes on to stress the U.S. Department of Education’s commitment to all students, and points to pandemic-related stimulus funds as a source for funding additional safety measures.
The fact sheet also includes various strategies for distribution of masks to high-risk populations.