Manatee community paramedics are bringing COVID-19 vaccines to home-bound residents
Mike Greene had been trying to get his 96-year-old father vaccinated for months. It had been “almost impossible” until he recently learned that Manatee County is offering to bring vaccines to home-bound residents in the community.
Finally on Monday, Roy Greene Sr. was vaccinated and never had to leave his living room.
“I think it’s great. I have been trying to three months to get him the vaccine,” the younger Greene said.
Initially, Greene had hoped his father’s doctor would be able to vaccinate him but with the COVID-19 vaccine not available currently at doctors’ offices, he learned that was not possible. He then called 311 and successfully got his father added to the county’s COVID-19 standby vaccination pool.
But getting his father out of the house was a problem. That changed when he learned from a friend that the county was offering to bring the vaccine to those who are home-bound.
As of Monday, Manatee County community paramedics have administered the COVID-19 vaccine to 39 home-bound residents, according to EMS Deputy Chief Sean Dwyer. Another 11 residents have been identified and will also be vaccinated through the program.
Using the Medicare definition of home-bound, the program is aimed at residents who can’t walk, have trouble getting out of their home, transportation issues, including having trouble getting into a vehicle, or are just too sick to leave their homes.
County staff at 311, the Florida Department of Health Manatee County and the community paramedics have been identifying people who have the need for the vaccine to be brought to them.
The Florida Department of Emergency Management has launched a statewide effort to identify those who are home-bound and need the vaccine brought to them. To request a vaccine for someone who is home-bound, people are asked to email: homeboundvaccine@em.myflorida.com.
Roy Greene didn’t really know what COVID-19 was but was thankful when District Chief Zack Molnar gave him his first shot of the Moderna vaccine and asked, “That’s it?”
Molnar told him he’d back in a few minutes to check on him. Most patients being offered the vaccine at home like Greene are monitored for 30 minutes, according Dwyer.
“He’s 96 years old. He might not do too well with it, if he got it,” his son said.
Before the pandemic, the family had taken him to Red Lobster for his birthday. He also enjoys getting outside in the sunshine, but that is also challenging.
“He had polio as a baby. Wore a full leg brace on his left leg all of his life and if it wasn’t for that, he’d probably still be walking around,” his son added.
