New Haven Announces Initiative To Vaccinate Homebound Residents

Information via City of New Haven

NEW HAVEN, CT – As part of the ongoing campaign at the City of New Haven to ensure equitable access to the lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines, the New Haven Health Department is partnering with American Medical Response (AMR) of New Haven to vaccinate homebound residents. The program will launch today, Wednesday, April 21, 2021 and be available every Wednesday after that by appointment from 9 AM to 3:30 PM. Individuals requesting the service must be age 16 or older to be vaccinated.

“This partnership with AMR will enable us to reach a vulnerable segment of our community that might otherwise find it very difficult to get vaccinated,” said New Haven Health Director Maritza Bond. “I want to thank AMR for working with us to provide this valuable, much-needed service. Defeating the virus will require as many residents as possible to receive vaccinations, and getting that done will require all of us working together.”

The Health Department defines homebound as physically or medically unable to leave their home to get the COVID-19 shot. The Health Department will be administering the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine to qualifying residents: the service is free of cost, and no documentation or insurance is required.

To promote the service, the Health Department and AMR will be distributing flyers in English and Spanish with instructions for registering for a vaccination appointment by phone, visiting a state health department website, or scanning a QR code. A school nurse will be assigned to visits with homebound individuals. AMR Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) will observe vaccine recipients after they receive the shot.

Since the vaccines became available late last year, City leaders and health officials have made getting shots into the arms of as many residents as possible, as quickly as possible, a priority. To achieve that, they have partnered with several community organizations, agencies, and even businesses to raise awareness about the availability of the vaccine and the importance of getting a shot to defeat the virus. In late 2020, the City partnered with AT&T to launch the first of a four-part immunization campaign for which AT&T donated “COVID-19 Vaccinated” pins in Spanish and English to be given the first 10,000 residents to get shots. Last month, City officials joined forces with community organizers to knock on over 5,000 doors in Fair Haven and the Hill sections of the City to urge residents to schedule vaccination appointments.

“Working together to come up with innovative solutions to one of the biggest challenges our nation and community have ever faced is the only way we can get through this and the only way to deliver vaccinations on this unprecedented scale,” said Bill Schietinger AMR Regional Director for Southern Connecticut. “This is a battle no single entity can wage alone. To beat the pandemic, the public and private sectors must creatively work together. AMR is proud to be a partner with the City of New Haven Health Department to provide this important service,” he concluded.

Homebound residents in need of a COVID-19 vaccination, or their loved ones wishing to make an appointment for them, are asked to call 1-877-918-2224 to register or visit https://dphsubmissions.ct.gov/homebound to register online.