City of Framingham To Start Homebound Vaccinations in March

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FRAMINGHAM – The City of Framingham will be “deploying vaccination teams to do home visits for homebound residents of Framingham,” in March said interim Health Director Alex DePalo.

Several of our public health nurses and MRC (Medical reserve Corps) members will be participating in this, said DePalo to SOURCE.

“This work is a part of our participation in the State’s Equity Initiative,” said DePalo. “We are planning to start the home visits in the next week or so and are working with local organizations and community partners to get referrals for people who need the service.”

Other details about the homebound program as part of the City’s vaccine equity program are unknown at this time.

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On Feb. 16, Gov. Baker announced the Massachusetts “Department of Public Health (DPH) will invest resources directly in the 20 cities and towns most disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 to increase awareness of the vaccine’s safety and efficacy and to reduce barriers to vaccination. DPH will assist each city or town by working with local leaders,  and community- and faith-based groups to strengthen existing efforts focused on awareness and overcoming barriers so that residents will get vaccinated when it’s their turn.”

The Mayor convened a group of about 2 dozen individuals for the first time on March 4 to began a plan, after the Governor announced Framingham as one of the 20 communities.

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As part of initiative the state provides each community with a liaison. Framingham’s is Barry Callis, the “Director of Behavioral Health and Infectious Disease Prevention for the Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.”

Callis is part of the City of Framingham’s COVID vaccine equity group along with Mayor Yvonne Spicer, Interim Health Director Depalo, and Framingham Chief Public Health Nurse Kitty Mahoney.

Other members of that 20+ COVID equity group include:

• Framingham Board of Health Chair Gillian Carcia
• Chief Diversity Officer Maritsa Barros
• Mayor’s senior advisor Hannah Woit
• Framingham Director of Elder Services Grace O’Donnell
• Framingham Fire Chief Michael Dutcher
• MeroWest Medical Center CEO Ava Collins
• Rev. J Anthony Lloyd of the Greater Framingham Community Church
• Framingham Housing Authority Assistant Director Helen Plant
• Paula Kaminow from the Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center
• Framingham Public Schools Director of Community Resource Development Tiffanie Lillie
• Framingham Disability Commission Vice Chair Susie Santone
• BRACE’s Liliane Costa
• Ismael Rivera, Justice Resource Institute at Program RISE
• Dr. Milagros Abreu, Latino Health Insurance Program, Inc.

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• MWRTA’s Emily VanDewoestine
• MWRTA’s Eva Willens
• MetroWest Nonprofit Network Director Anna Cross
• Maria Rosado with Pelham Learning Center
• Christopher Nunez with Pelham Learning Center
• Tania DiDuca with SMOC
• Jenn Davidson with SMOC
• Discover Hidden Gems Margie Rosario
• Framingham Coronavirus Community Outreach Group Founder Nicole Doak