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Arizona Disability Group Ability 360 Plans To Host Vaccination Event For People With Disabilities

Last week’s news that the coronavirus vaccine would be made available to anyone over the age of 16 was a relief and a source of frustration for some in the Arizona disability community.

While they could finally get the shot, they would have to compete for appointments. Plans are in the works to offer a vaccination event for this population.

Phil Pangrazio is the CEO of Ability 360, an organization that supports people with disabilities. He says many people with disabilities have been living in fear of the virus for the last year and this population is especially at risk of adverse outcomes or death. 

"We've been waiting our turn, probably longer than we would have hoped," he said.

Now Ability 360 plans to host a vaccination event early next month. 

"We're going to serve folks with disabilities, their family members, caregivers, their siblings, we will serve a broad range of people."

Pangrazio says the goal is to vaccinate thousands of people over the course of two days. 

→  Get The Latest News On COVID-19 In Arizona 

KJZZ senior field correspondent Kathy Ritchie has 20 years of experience reporting and writing stories for national and local media outlets — nearly a decade of it has been spent in public media.