CLARK COUNTY, Ind. — Staff from the Clark County Health Department first had the idea to bring the vaccine to those who couldn't leave their homes about a month ago. But then the state came along with a similar program and now it's operating on a much larger scale.
The program is called Homebound Hoosiers. It is a partnership between the Clark County Health Department and the Jeffersonville Fire Department. Their collaboration will get the COVID vaccine to Hoosiers who cannot leave the house.
Each day, a two-person team hits the road armed with COVID vaccine and syringes. They vaccinate homebound Hoosiers and schedule their appointment for the next dose.
They never know who they are going to meet, but they have one goal, to vaccinate as many people as possible. On average, this team can vaccinate up to 10-20 people a day.
Betsy and Benjamin cannot leave their homes due to medical conditions and have waited for months, questioning whether they would be able to get one. Their wait is now over thanks to this program.
"When you get our age it is hard, harder to fight things off. And with the vaccine coming to us this way, and of course, we are homebound, we can't get out. So having them bring it to us is just a godsend"
If you are interested in signing up for this program, you can head to the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) website to do so. Your information will be given to your local health department.
Mobile units
Also announced this week, Hoosiers who are struggling to find an open vaccine appointment might be able to get additional access with the help of new mobile units from the Indiana State Department of Health.
The units, operated by ISDH with support from the Indiana National Guard, were deployed to 10 counties where nearly all available vaccine appointments were booked for several weeks in order to provide additional access.
Dr. Klaus Boel, Chief Medical Officer at Clark Memorial Health, said additional mobile clinics are a trend Hoosiers will continue to see.