AOTA, APTA, and ASHA Call For Professional Action On COVID 19 Vaccination Status and Education

(Rockville, MD) The following joint statement has been issued today: 

The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) have come together to call for our members and professionals to lead the way in adhering to public health practices and guidance on vaccinations and masking to mitigate the recent surge in COVID-19 infections.  

AOTA, APTA, and ASHA strongly encourage, recommend, and support all health care professionals to obtain full vaccination status and to educate our peers, patients, and the public on the need for vaccinations to address the public health challenges associated with COVID-19. We also support masking and other mitigation strategies in all public indoor settings. Our associations believe it is a professional responsibility to promote standards that are critical to protecting the health, safety, and welfare of patients, peers, practitioners, and the general public. Individually and collectively, we are committed to addressing this public health crisis with the best information, evidence, and resources.

AOTA, APTA, and ASHA are the leading professional organizations representing occupational therapy, physical therapy, and audiology and speech-language pathology, respectively. Our members and professionals serve individuals across the lifespan and in all health care settings and facilities. In addition, our professionals practice in their communities as part of our school systems and are frontline providers in homes and workplaces.

American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
Information Pertaining to Occupational Therapy in the Era of Coronavirus (COVID-19)

American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources for the Physical Therapy Profession | APTA

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
Coronavirus/COVID-19 Updates (asha.org)

About the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
ASHA is the national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for 218,000 members and affiliates who are audiologists; speech-language pathologists; speech, language, and hearing scientists; audiology and speech-language pathology support personnel; and students. Audiologists specialize in preventing and assessing hearing and balance disorders as well as providing audiologic treatment, including hearing aids. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) identify, assess, and treat speech, language, and swallowing disorders.