TOLEDO, Ohio — The Lucas County Health Department is teaming up with Promedica, Mercy Health and Toledo Fire Rescue to get those who are homebound vaccinated.
Dr. Brian Kaminski with Promedica said programs like this one are important because those who live at home and generally don't leave, still need care.
"It's likely that people are entering the home, which creates risk. Anytime we have that human-to-human interaction there could be transmission of disease," Kaminski said.
Melvin Parker, a community paramedic, firefighter and registered nurse, alongside Heidi Trombly, a community healthcare worker are a team of two administering the shots.
This homebound vaccination program kicked off Wednesday, and there are already about 80 people on the list. Trombly said she expects that number to grow.
"Every patient that we've seen, 'Hey, you know, I know somebody that needs to have this vaccination, here's their name, here's their phone number. Can you give them a call?'" Trombly said.
Darrel Fisher received his COVID-19 vaccine at his kitchen table on Friday.
He said, without this program, he would never have gotten vaccinated.
"That's the only way I would have gotten it. They tell you not to get out in the public, but then they want you to go to all these places where people are standing in line. I just stay in my apartment and leave things going," Fisher said.
Parker said people may be a little weary before getting their shot but he said that they are there for the community.
"We do care. We do provide a follow-up visit just to make sure everything is going good," he said.
Darrel has a message for everyone who hasn't been vaccinated yet: "Friends if you ain't get your shot yet, get it there's nothing to it."
You can sign up for this homebound program by reaching out to the Lucas County Health Department at 419-213-4100.