Roving Amherst crew bringing vaccine to homebound folks in eight towns
A team of experts gets ready to vaccinate homebound residents in their Granby homes on Monday. From left are Michael Sawicki, with the Amherst Fire Department; Dr. Herb Abelson, Granby Board of Health; Gene Os, emergency medical services director in Granby; Robert Czerwinski, Granby fire chief; Emma Dragon, health director; and David Kelsen, Amherst Fire Department. STAFF PHOTO/CAROL LOLLIS
Published: 3/11/2021 8:19:34 PM
AMHERST Knowing that her husband, Dan Georgakas, is unable to leave their Amherst home, Barbara Saltz worried that getting him vaccinated against COVID-19 might be impossible.
“When vaccines became available, we were trying to figure out how in the world to get Dan inoculated,” Saltz said.
Amherst plan to vaccinate homebound using ambulance service begins
Updated Mar 05, 2021;
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AMHERST – An ambitious plan to administer COVID-19 vaccination to homebound individuals here and surrounding towns began March 3, according to the town’s public health director Emma Dragon.
“It is expected to take several weeks to complete the plan to vaccinate the over 100 homebound individuals that have been identified so far,” a press release from the town of Amherst says.
According to Town Manager Paul Bockelman’s office around 30 individuals have been vaccinated.
“We value the vulnerable and underserved individuals within our community and feel committed to getting them vaccinated,” Dragon said in the statement.
Published: 1/14/2021 1:29:54 PM
AMHERST Before a syringe containing the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine was administered to Amherst Fire Chief Walter “Tim” Nelson this week, competition likely occurred among the department’s firefighter/ EMTs to deliver the shot.
“I think there may have been a pool from my guys to see who could stick the needle in me,” Nelson said, chuckling about that possibility moments after he received the injection from Fire Capt. Steven Chandler at the first responders vaccination clinic set up at the Bangs Community Center in Amherst.
But joking aside, Nelson said the weeklong delivery of vaccines to first responders throughout the region in Amherst, at the Northampton Senior Center and on the University of Massachusetts campus, which comes after initial vaccinations given at hospitals, nursing homes and extended care facilities, is a critical step in ending the pandemic.