Pragmatic Prophet: Include Alcoholics and Hard Drug Users, Those with HIV or AIDS, and Sex and Porn Industry Workers in Phase 1b LA County COVID-19 Vaccinations? . by Alice B. Clagett

Pragmatic Prophet: Include Alcoholics and Hard Drug Users, Those with HIV or AIDS, and Sex and Porn Industry Workers in Phase 1b LA County COVID-19 Vaccinations?

Image: “Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine,” by Arne Müseler, 29 December 2020, in Wikimedia Commons … https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Covid19_vaccine_biontech_pfizer_2.jpg … CC BY-SA 3.0 … DESCRIPTION: http://www.arne-mueseler.com … CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=98215920 ..

Image: “Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine,” by Arne Müseler, 29 December 2020, in Wikimedia Commons … https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Covid19_vaccine_biontech_pfizer_2.jpg … CC BY-SA 3.0 … DESCRIPTION: http://www.arne-mueseler.com … CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=98215920 ..

  • ALCOHOLICS AND HARD DRUG USERS
  • THOSE WITH HIV OR AIDS
  • SEX WORKERS, PORN INDUSTRY WORKERS, AND CLIENTS OF SEX WORKERS

Dear Ones,

I took a look at the Centers for Disease Control’s proposed rollout for the COVID-19 vaccines … https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations.html … and saw that their Tier 2 for Phase 1c is …

“People aged 16—64 years with underlying medical conditions which increase the risk of serious, life-threatening complications from COVID-19.”

Then I searched out who is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccines in Los Angeles County, California … http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/coronavirus/vaccine/index.htm … and saw a roughly equivalent Tier 1b including people with serious medical conditions for whom vaccines are now available …  http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/ncorona2019/vaccine/hcwsignup/?level_1=step-1-eligibility&level_2=elig-health-conditions

From the latter webpage, I see that starting 15 March 2021, COVID-19 vaccinations are available in Los Angeles County for those who are 16 to 64 years of age and who have high risk health conditions and disabilities such as …

  • Cancer, current with weakened immune system
  • Chronic kidney disease, stage 4 or above
  • Chronic pulmonary disease, oxygen dependent
  • Down syndrome
  • Solid organ transplant, leading to a weakened immune system
  • Pregnancy
  • Sickle cell disease
  • Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies (but not hypertension)
  • Severe obesity (Body Mass Index of 40 or greater, CDC BMI Calculator)
  • Type 2 diabetes mellitus with hemoglobin A1c level greater than 7.5%
  • People who, as a result of a developmental or other significant high-risk disability, meet one or more of the following criteria:
    • A COVID-19 infection is likely to result in severe life-threatening illness or death; OR
    • Acquiring COVID-19 will limit the individual’s ability to receive ongoing care or services vital to their well-being and survival; OR
    • Providing adequate and timely COVID care will be particularly challenging as a result of the individual’s disability.
    • The three criteria above include people with a range of physical and behavioral disabilities including
      • Individuals with severe behavioral health issues and substance use disorders …”

ALCOHOLICS AND HARD DRUG USERS

At the bottom of the list, I have bolded the directive that people with substance use disorders are able to get the vaccine now. That might include alcoholics and people who have a habit of using hard drugs, but that information might not yet be widely available as it is not bolded in the list. I feel it might be good to give it more emphasis on the Los Angeles County web page.

THOSE WITH HIV OR AIDS

Below that on the Los Angeles County list I see that enrolled customers of Medi-Cal HIV/AIDS Waiver can get the vaccines. As I read the description of the waiver, that would include a sector of people severely ill with HIV/AIDS, which would be good to include among those for whom the vaccine is available, of course, since HIV/AIDS infection lowers the immune response. 

  • I feel it would also be good to include all those over 15 years of age who have HIV or AIDS in the bolded list of health conditions and disabilities.

SEX WORKERS, PORN INDUSTRY WORKERS, AND CLIENTS OF SEX WORKERS

I see this list of Phase 1b occupations now eligible for COVID-19 vaccination in Los Angeles County …

  • Education and Childcare
  • Emergency Services
  • Food and Agriculture
  • People with Serious Health Conditions/Disabilities
  • People Who Live or Work in Congregate Living Spaces
  • Janitorial, Custodial, and Maintenance Services
  • Transportation and Logistics

It seems to me that since sex workers’ income depends on coming into close physical contact with clients, it is likely that sex work might be a nexus for COVID-19 transmission.

I read online that making pornographic films is legal in California (and also in New Hampshire). It seems to me likely that this is among the occupations that could be bulleted in the above list of eligible occupations. Possibly it might fall under the category “People Who Live or Work in Congregate Living Spaces,” but it seems to me documentation might be lacking because of concern for social opprobrium, especially for those engaged in that industry as a sideline to more mainstream occupations.

Thus I feel it would be good to include sex workers and porn industry workers in the list of high risk occupations. 

It might also be good if the health news websites were to publish the health measures they feel would help prevent infection for regular clients of sex workers.

In love, light and joy,
Alice B. Clagett
I Am of the Stars

Written and published on 17 March 2021; revised on 13 May 2023

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health, community health, coronavirus, COVID, COVID vaccine, COVID-19, sex workers, prostitution, porn industry, porn workers, alcoholics, hard drug use, sex worker clients, HIV, AIDS, pragmatic prophecy,

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