Dozens homeless men and women lined up one Sunday afternoon in April to get inoculated against the coronavirus at the outdoor clinic set up by City With Dwellings
The vaccine drive took place at the organization’s campus at 520 N. Spring Street after their weekly worship services. A food truck provided free meals.
Events like these are essential to getting homeless populations vaccinated because of the level of vaccine hesitancy within their communities, said Lea Thullbery, Director of Diversion and Outreach at City With Dwellings.
“It’s about getting people to trust, and that takes time,” Thullbery said. She said that these events work because they are in a familiar place with familiar people. “We are building on our years of community with these people to get them vaccinated.”
In total, 40 doses of the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine were administered. The vaccines were provided and administered by Mobile Integrated Healthcare, a local, mobile healthcare organization.
Thullbery said that the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine has been a lifesaver for homeless communities. She said that trying to get homeless people to get a second vaccine is a nearly impossible task. “Even if we could locate them, getting them to go to a second appointment is difficult,” said Thullbery.
Whether it is fighting concerns about side effects of the vaccine, missing work, or accessibility, City with Dwellings is striving to ensure vaccines for those facing homelessness. Such events come as state, local, and federal agencies work to make the vaccine more accessible for low-income and homeless populations.
In his speech to a joint session of Congress on April 28th, President Joe Biden pointed out his administration’s efforts to get vaccines to the communities that need them the most. “We’ve gotten vaccinations to nearly 40,000 pharmacies and over 700 community health centers where the poorest of the poor can be reached,” the President said.
States and local officials have offered similar sentiments, although Gov. Roy Cooper and N.C. Secretary of Health and Human Services Dr. Mandy Cohen had faced criticism earlier in the vaccine rollout over the low position of homeless people on the priority listings. Now that all American adults are eligible to be vaccinated, there has been a concerted effort among state and local officials here in N.C., private medical companies, and community outreach organizations to vaccinate those facing homelessness.
