San Francisco plans to bring coronavirus vaccine to people experiencing homelessness as early as next week.
Dr. Deborah Borne, the person overseeing the vaccine rollout to the homeless in San Francisco, said the city is waiting until it has enough doses for 17,000 people before launching the mobile program.
People experiencing homelessness in San Francisco will be vaccinated at a permanent supportive housing location where up to 50% of the people are over the age of 65. Local health officials will also hold mobile vaccination programs in a congregate site and a shelter-in-place site. Borne refused to specify the locations.
Homeless individuals may also get their coronavirus vaccine shots at several drop-in sites for specific neighborhoods.
“Our mobile strategy will be tailored to populations with high rates of COVID-19 illness, hospitalizations and death and with structural barriers to getting vaccine,” a spokesperson for the city of San Francisco said. “As we test these operations, we will do so in accordance with the state’s guidelines.”
Under San Francisco’s most recent vaccine guidelines, only residents aged 65 and above, health care workers, and nursing home residents are eligible for the vaccine. People working in agriculture, food, emergency care, and education sectors are expected to receive the vaccine starting on Feb. 24.
