9/8/26 - Fall vaccines, mail-in voting, and housing accessibility
Good afternoon!
What can I say about being home again? My bed is the best bed. That's what I have to say.
Let's read some articles ...
Medical Groups Issue Guidance on Covid, Flu and R.S.V. Shots
Maggie Astor and Dani Blum, New York Times - September 2, 2026
"'On Wednesday, major medical organizations issued recommendations for all three vaccines, based on reviews of the latest evidence published in the medical journal JAMA. They said they were filling a gap left by the Trump administration in 'evidence-based vaccine guidance.'"
It's good to know the latest on Fall vaccines, from a team of sources I'm pretty comfortable relying on. But what about cost? Will these vaccines still be covered by private and government health insurance? Will disabled and chronically ill people continue to have a meaningful choice to use COVID, Flu, and R.S.V. vaccines? Or, will paying for them become another addition to our "Disability Tax?"
How freaked out should you be about Trump’s plot to disrupt mail voting?
Zack Beauchamp, Vox.com - September 2, 2026
"'This is not to say that there’s nothing to worry about. There’s consensus among experts, both the ones I spoke with and the community in general, that the proposed USPS system would be extraordinarily burdensome to implement, in ways that could potentially compromise the fairness of the midterm elections. The whistleblower’s report is especially alarming on the details of this system, suggesting it’s even worse than many feared ... So if the Supreme Court overrules lower court stays, and allows the new rule to go forward, it would in all likelihood be a very serious problem in November."
I mean, if you are like me and capable of going to vote in-person but can sometimes find it very difficult to do, then you're probably just as much pissed off as freaked out. I and many other disabled people like me won't be disenfranchised. On the other hand, as disability activists keep trying to explain, it doesn't take much disruption in voting procedures and options to essentially rob thousands, maybe millions of disabled people of their vote. And if that's even remotely possible this year, that's freakout-worthy.
Opinion: Why Disability Access Must Be Central To NYC’s Housing Strategy
Joseph M, Pancardi, City Limits - August 24, 2026
"'Disability access must be central to the city’s housing strategy because accessible housing is the foundation of independence and community inclusion. People with disabilities deserve the same opportunity as everyone else to choose where they live, build relationships, participate in their communities, and remain connected to the places they call home throughout their lives."
How central should accessible housing that disabled people can afford and use be in housing policy? How do we make the case for this kind of focus, especially as the need for more housing overall fast becomes more urgent and politically energized? New York City seems like a good case study in many ways.
Disability Thinking Weekday is a Monday-Friday newsletter with links and commentary on disability-related articles and other content. You can help promote Disability Thinking Weekday by forwarding it by email or posting on your social media. You can also comment by sending me an email at: apulrang@icloud.com. Collected comments are shared on the first of each month. A free subscription sends a newsletter to your email each weekday. Benefits of paid subscription include:
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