Disability Rights Michigan is pushing to make COVID-19 home vaccinations available to disabled people who need them.The organization said it’s a battle they’ve been fighting for months.
“We’re really wanting it to be some emphasis in leadership to ensure and coordinate that people who can’t leave their homes that they have equitable access to receive these vaccines,” said Michelle Roberts, executive director with Disability Rights Michigan.
Roberts said there are numerous reasons why someone might not be able to leave their home to get a vaccine.
“They can’t leave their homes whether because they don’t have transportation, or their disabilities are so compromised that it’s really unsafe for them to leave their homes,” she said.
Ingham County Health Officer Linda Vail said the county is trying to make home vaccinations available.
“We are out at some of these senior facilities and when we are there and we witness someone who is home bound and can’t leave their home, We do provide home vaccinations to them,” Vail said.
She also said it hasn’t been easy.
“Once that vaccine is open, there’s a certain number of doses in it and the last thing anyone wants to do is waste any dose of the vaccine,” Vail said. “So, when we do the vaccines at home, we have to have a strategy in place that uses every dose of vaccine.
CATA will provide free transportation to get the vaccine for any disabled person who may have difficulties leaving their house. However, Roberts said accessing those resources can still be difficult for some.
“Their ability to reach out and coordinate that for themselves is quite limited because again, they depend on other people,” she said.
Ingham County Health Department was not able to provide the number of home vaccinations they’ve done.
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