- For the first time, demand for COVID-19 vaccines is no longer outstripping supply in many states.
- As the vaccination rate dips, health officials have started a variety of programs to reach out to people who may have difficulty getting vaccinated.
- Mobile clinics, longer hours at clinics, and outreach are all being used to get more people vaccinated.
In the country’s race to vaccinate people and build herd immunity against COVID-19, local governments and public health leaders have had to come up with innovative ways to provide equitable and easy access to the vaccines.
In some areas, this has meant launching vaccination sites specifically geared toward seniors, a group that’s seen the highest rates of hospitalization and death during the pandemic.
Mobile clinics have also popped up in underserved areas, eliminating the need for online pre-registration or travel in communities that have limited access to technology and transportation.
Local health officials have taken cultural approaches, opening 24/7 clinics and meeting vaccine-hesitant people at their homes.
Here are some of the most effective ways local health officials are improving access to the vaccines:
Source: healthline