An Amherst Fire Department ambulance making its way around Granby throughout the day Monday made sure residents unable to leave their homes can still get the COVID-19 vaccine.
The 32 people served so far this week by the roving vaccine service are among 60 homebound people from area communities who have gotten protection from COVID-19 through a program launched late last week. More than 100 people are scheduled to be part of the program.
Coordinated by Assistant Fire Chief Jeffrey Olmstead, Public Health Director Emma Dragon and Senior Center Director Mary Beth Ogulewicz, they partner with officials in communities to identify who needs this specialized service, said Fire Chief Walter “Tim” Nelson.
“The main thing is we’re getting to folks who couldn’t get the vaccine any other way,” Nelson said. “We want to make it as easy and as less stressful as we can.”
Dragon said town and state officials have helped develop the comprehensive plan.
“We value the vulnerable and underserved individuals within our community and feel committed to getting them vaccinated,” Dragon said.
“It’s a wonderful reflection of our collaborative efforts and cross-jurisdictional efforts with public health with assistance with fire and Councils on Aging,” Dragon added.
The team came up with a matrix to identify those who are homebound, arranging with a representative from the senior center or from the fire department in each community, which along with Amherst and Pelham include Belchertown, Granby, Hadley, Hatfield, South Hadley and Ware.
“They know the folks in their town,” Nelson said.
A schedule is then created to streamline the response, with Olmstead, Dragon and firefighter/ paramedic Matt Chipman riding in the ambulance.
The first round has generally taken a few hours each day and supplements the more than 5,000 doses already provided to eligible people at clinics conducted at Amherst Regional High School and the Bangs Community Center.
“This work is what we do and how it’s supposed to go,” Nelson said. “We want to get shots in people’s arms.”
Several weeks will needed to complete the plan to vaccinate those identified so far.
“It is really profound,” Ogulewicz said. “Taking care of people and returning their life to more expansiveness.”
“It is truly moving to be part of this program, having residents trust our practice and safety with entering their homes when many have been shut in for a year and isolating from others,” Dragon said, noting that the program shows value to community members who shouldn’t be forgotten.
People should contact their local health boards or senior centers to learn more about the service, while those in Amherst or Pelham should call the Amherst Senior Center at 259-3060.
