TOLEDO, Ohio — About half of Lucas County adults have received the COVID-19 vaccine, and several community leaders and organizations are coming together to get those numbers even higher.
The VProject held a news conference Wednesday at the Mott Branch Library on Dorr Street to outline new efforts to increase vaccination numbers. Founder Scott Savage outlined a four-part strategy:
- Outbound call center
- Community canvassing
- Employer/organization pods
- Marketing and communications surge
"What's exciting is to a T, every person I asked to get involved in this project said yes," Savage said. "That speaks to what northwest Ohio is all about."
The call center launches Thursday and will make tens of thousands of calls to people who have not received a vaccine. Callers will answer questions about the vaccine and help residents find an appointment.
Movement, led by Tina Butts, will go door-to-door in Toledo communities to educate people about the vaccine.
"Our team came together and partnered with the VProject, the county and city to turn over every rock," Butts said. "We'll be at every corner store. We will knock on these doors and to continue to fight this invisible disease."
Canvassing will start in the 43607 area code, which has the lowest vaccination rate in the city.
"So, we're going to start in 43607 and we're going to progress in zip codes in a reverse order, addressing first those zip codes with the lowest participation" Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said.
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The Toledo-Lucas County Health Department is urging employers to set up vaccination pods to make it easier for workers to receive a vaccine. Businesses interested can learn more here.
Savage said "lots of messaging" is coming soon.
Mayor Kapszukiewicz said up until this point the focus has been to get people to the vaccine. Now the approach is transitioning to getting the vaccine to the people.
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"We knew once we got to 50 percent, it was going to get a little harder," he said. "The people most enthusiastic were going to get it first. Now demand is starting to wane a little bit. So as we push to the final 20 or 25 percent we need to reach herd immunity, we know we have to adjust our approach to bring vaccines to the neighborhoods."
The Toledo Fire & Rescue Department will have vaccines available in an ambulance that will travel through neighborhoods. The mayor hopes people on the fence about the vaccine will be more open to it if it comes right to their front door.
"What exactly it looks like, we don't quite have that fine tuned yet," Fire Chief Brian Byrd said. "But you will see at least one of our vehicles out here. Like they said, if you could imagine a food truck-style type thing."
Other partners in the new effort include the Lucas County Commissioners, Mercy Health and ProMedica.
"We're in a war with COVID," Commissioner Pete Gerken said. "It's always great to have generals, but you don't win any war without ground troops. Get people involved who know people and are trusted in the neighborhoods."