JDRF applauds the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for its recent update recognizing the elevated risk of COVID-19 to people with type 1 diabetes (T1D). This update to the vaccine roll-out recommendations now moves people with T1D to the phase 1c priority group. Organizational leaders, representing JDRF research and advocacy, engaged extensively with the CDC, sharing the growing body of scientific evidence showing adults with T1D are at an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, similar to adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D). This new prioritized access to vaccines will save lives and reduce the risks of additional COVID-19 complications for those with T1D, an autoimmune disease that requires intense insulin management 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

As an organization rooted in volunteerism, JDRF also thanks our grassroots network across the country, whose committed advocacy led 25 states since December to revise their policies to prioritize those with T1D. JDRF urges all remaining states to immediately adopt the CDC’s prioritization of T1D for their residents.

-JDRF

About JDRF

JDRF’s mission is to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications. To accomplish this, JDRF has invested more than $2.5 billion in research funding since our inception. We are an organization built on a grassroots model of people connecting in their local communities, collaborating regionally for efficiency and broader fundraising impact, and uniting on a national stage to pool resources, passion, and energy. We collaborate with academic institutions, policymakers, and corporate and industry partners to develop and deliver a pipeline of innovative therapies to people living with T1D. Our staff and volunteers throughout the United States and our five international affiliates are dedicated to advocacy, community engagement and our vision of a world without T1D. For more information, please visit jdrf.org or follow us on Twitter (@JDRF), Facebook (@myjdrf), and Instagram (@jdrfhq).