Firefighters help vaccinate homeless
SEASIDE >> The Seaside and Monterey fire departments conducted COVID-19 vaccination clinics for the homeless Tuesday, providing inoculations to those who have recently become eligible.
This week eligibility expanded to include the homeless community and those who live and work in homeless shelters.
“The clinic went well,” said Mary Gutierrez, Seaside fire chief. Seaside City Manager Craig Malin added that staff from Seaside Recreation Department provided support for the effort.
The vaccinations were provided in collaboration with the Monterey Fire Department, which shared its allotment from Monterey County with the Seaside Fire Department, making it possible for 171 doses of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine to be administered, explained Gutierrez.
The Monterey clinic was held at the Gathering For Women, and together with the Seaside clinic, about 300 people received their vaccine.
The Seaside clinic was conducted at a site off Col. Durham Road where the city of Seaside has been allowing RV and vehicle parking for the unhoused. Vaccinations were administered by personnel from both the Seaside and Monterey fire departments who received training in late January and gained approval from the Monterey County Health Department and the County Emergency Medical Services Agency.
Seaside had formed a community vaccination action team and, working with other agencies such as the Coalition of Homeless Services Providers, were able to get the word out
to a segment of the community that does not have easy access to computers or the internet, and expanded the availability of the vaccine.
“We were able to open it up to other unhoused individuals throughout the county,” said Gutierrez.
By utilizing the oneshot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, organizers eliminated the need for homeless patients to return for a second dose.
Gutierrez said she will be taking the lead of the community vaccination action team, working with the Seaside City Council and community influencers to focus on amplifying the importance of being vaccinated and the safety of the vaccines, to the greater community.
“It’s important that all cities work together to serve their communities,” said Gutierrez.
A second Seaside clinic has not yet been planned.
“If we are able to get more vaccine, Seaside is prepared to operate additional clinics in the future,” said Malin.
The Seaside Fire Department would welcome another allotment share of the vaccine with Monterey Fire Department but in the meantime, Gutierrez said other sources for Seaside Fire Department’s own supply of vaccine, either through state or federal channels, is being worked on.