Across the nation, people experiencing homelessness are often left out of statesâ COVID-19 vaccine rollout plans â including Tennesseeâs.
That left the task of vaccinating the stateâs nearly 7,500 homeless people up to clinics and other groups in communities across the state, even though people experiencing homelessness, particularly those who are unsheltered, are considered higher risk for COVID-19 due to myriad factors including age and underlying health conditions.
For the hundreds of people without homes in Northeast Tennessee, it meant they were once again left out in the cold.
Thatâs why the East Tennessee State University Street Medicine Interest Group, or SMIG, an inter-professional group of students formed in 2019 to help the regionâs homeless population, stepped in. On Saturday, March 20, they administered 20 doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at a pop-up event outside Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church.