COVID-19 Vaccine Access for Music Therapists

COVID-19 Vaccine Access for Music Therapists

Music therapy has served an essential purpose for clients, family members, and healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. By adapting service delivery options and implementing health safety guidelines, board certified music therapists continue to provide treatment plan interventions for established clients, programs, and facilities. Access to music therapy has also been included in health and education settings as a pandemic-related treatment and support service for consumers and healthcare professionals.

Decisions regarding vaccine distribution are being made at the state level. Funding to assist states with vaccine development and distribution was included in the COVID-19 relief package recently signed into law. Although states are encouraged to follow guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each state determines its distribution plan.

CDC Guidelines

(The) “CDC recommends healthcare personnel be among those offered the first doses of COVID-19 vaccines. Healthcare personnel include all paid and unpaid persons serving in healthcare settings who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials.”

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/hcp.html

CDC Definition of Healthcare Personnel (HCP)

“…HCP include, but are not limited to, emergency medical service personnel, nurses, nursing assistants, home healthcare personnel, physicians, technicians, therapists, phlebotomists, pharmacists, students and trainees, contractual staff not employed by the healthcare facility, and persons not directly involved in patient care, but who could be exposed to infectious agents that can be transmitted in the healthcare setting (e.g., clerical, dietary, environmental services, laundry, security, engineering and facilities management, administrative, billing, and volunteer personnel).”

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/infection-control recommendations.html#anchor_1604360694408

The National Academy of State Health Policy (NASHP) provides an overview of state plans for distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. All states placed healthcare workers in the initial phases of consideration, based on vaccine availability. For state specific information, please visit: https://www.nashp.org/each-states-plan-for-vaccinating-its-populations-against-covid-19/

AMTA supports the inclusion of board certified music therapists as healthcare professionals eligible for state vaccine distribution. We encourage state plans to consider the needs of all workers that are a part of healthcare delivery across all settings. Ensuring that the means of distribution are accessible, equitable, and comply with federal guidance and civil rights law is of the utmost importance.

For more information, see Accessing the COVID-19 Vaccine.

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