{"id":4674,"date":"2021-03-05T14:02:33","date_gmt":"2021-03-05T19:02:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henryjaustin.org\/?p=4674"},"modified":"2022-08-26T17:00:19","modified_gmt":"2022-08-26T21:00:19","slug":"vaccine-administered-to-vulnerable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henryjaustin.org\/es\/vaccine-administered-to-vulnerable\/","title":{"rendered":"Vacuna administrada a las personas sin hogar"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Story provided by, Patrick Sweeney, Manager of Communications for the Rescue Mission of Trenton.<\/h6>\n

Just three days after the much-anticipated, single-dose Covid-19 vaccines were shipped out, Dr. Rachel Evans, Chief Medical Officer at Henry J. Austin Health Center, was at The Rescue Mission of Trenton with her team administering the vaccine to 100 individuals experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were among the first individuals staying in a shelter in our country to be vaccinated,\u201d said Barrett Young, Chief Executive Officer of The Mission.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mark Arnce, who grew up on a Sioux reservation in Davenport, Iowa, will turn 75 in May, has what he called \u201cserious health concerns,\u201d and has been staying in The Mission\u2019s shelter for over a year, said, \u201cI see this vaccine as life-saving \u2013 for all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carleen Stephenson, who has been staying in the shelter for just shy of a year with what she described as \u201csome major medical troubles,\u201d said she has been tested four times for the coronavirus, \u201cand each time I get very worried. So getting the vaccine is an absolute blessing.\u201d<\/p>\n

And Calvin Armstrong, who has been at the shelter for the past three months because, as he said, \u201cI\u2019ve had my ups and downs,\u201d added that he is \u201cvery grateful to get vaccinated because I lost a couple of people I love to the coronavirus, and I have a friend who has been battling it now for two months.\u201d<\/p>\n

Young said, \u201cI am thrilled for Mark, for Carleen, for Calvin and for each of the other individuals who had the good fortune to be vaccinated. Those who stay at The Mission are among the most vulnerable people in our community. Each with a personal story. Many who have experienced a lifetime of economic poverty. Some who have just become homeless. Most with chronic health conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Beaming, he added, \u201cThis is extraordinary. Fortune has shined upon us all today. Introducing this new vaccine so quickly to those who are most at risk was only able to occur because of the depth of our relationships with the medical team at Henry J. Austin Health Center.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Evans said, \u201cBarrett and I have been talking about this day for months\u2014knowing a single-dose vaccine would be best for our shared clients who are unable to consistently return for second doses. We were thrilled to hear one was close to receiving emergency use authorization from the Federal Drug Administration.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

She added, \u201cBeing able to provide this single-dose vaccine to those who are most vulnerable in our city is so important \u2013 especially now as we deal with the threat of new, emerging strains of Covid-19.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Still, she cautioned, \u201cWhile we have not yet received a regular supply of vaccines, receiving this third option to administer to our community gives us hope that there is more to come.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Young shared, \u201cIn the beginning of January, we were thrilled when the medical team at Henry J. Austin Health Center offered our staff the opportunity to be vaccinated. However, since those who stay in our shelter are often transient, the two-dose approach presented scheduling challenges. So, this single-dose vaccine has become a game changer for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Eric Williams, Medical Director at The Mission, added, \u201cWithout the deep relationships that exist between the Henry J. Austin Health Center and The Mission, we are talking about a significant segment of our population that would have no care \u2013 and nowhere to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

He paused, then added, \u201cWe often talk about how a civilization can be measured by the progress we make. There is another measure of how advanced a civilization is, which is: How much we do we care for those in need? And how much do we help them?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Young concluded, \u201cIf nothing else, one of the underlying lessons of this pandemic is that we are all in this together, and here for each other.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>