Detroit's expands 'Good Neighbor' program to encourage vaccinations

The folks over at State Farm insurance, as well as the late great Mr. Rogers, would likely be very into Detroit's latest push to get more people vaccinated through its "Good Neighbor" program.

As of Wednesday, the city expanded the program to allow metro Detroiters over the age of 55 to schedule a vaccination at Detroit's drive-thru TCF Center vaccination site as long as they bring along a Detroiter over the age of 60 with underlying health conditions or any Detroiter over 65 to also get vaccinated. Appointments for both parties must be made at the same time.



“Thanks to Gov. Whitmer’s announcement earlier today expanding the Good Neighbor Program, we are again able to expand access to vaccinations at TCF Center to anyone who knows a Detroiter age 60 or older and is willing to drive them to their appointment,” Mayor Mike Duggan said in a statement. “We want to make sure we are using every opportunity we have to get our most vulnerable residents vaccinated, especially our senior citizens.”

According to Detroitmi.gov, the list of conditions includes cancer (current and in remission), asthma, heart conditions, hypertension, sickle cell disease, HIV, COPD, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, cystic fibrosis, and liver disease, among others.

The Good Neighbors program, which aims to inoculate older and more vulnerable populations, is an extension of the city's Senior Saturdays program, which serves as pop-up vaccination centers for Detroit's seniors. Currently, locations for those 60 years old and older with chronic conditions and those 65 and up include Grace Community Church at 21001 Moross Rd., Kemeny Recreation Center at 2260 S. Fort St., Fellowship Chapel at 7707 W. Outer Drive, and Second Ebenezer Church at 14601 Dequindre St.

Those who need a ride to Senior Saturday locations, TCF Center, or local Meijer stores administering vaccines and cannot locate a “good neighbor” to escort them can take advantage of IntelliRide, a transportation service contracted by the city to offer rides to vaccination sites for a $2 fee, which can be waived for those who cannot afford to pay.

The city also recently expanded its vaccination eligibility to Detroit residents 18 years and older with disabilities and developmental disorders, such as cerebral palsy, autism, Down syndrome, muscular dystrophy, ADHD, spina bifida, and people with hearing and vision impairments.

According to the City of Detroit's COVID-19 vaccine dashboard, 9.8% of Detroit residents have been vaccinated, and more than 79,000 doses have been administered.

The full list of eligible individuals who can schedule appointments at TCF now includes:

• Food Service Workers, including grocery store, restaurant, meat packing and food and beverage handling employees living or working in Detroit
  
  
• Security guards and janitors living or working in Detroit
  
  
• Any resident of the City of Detroit who is age 65 or older (born in 1955 or before)
  
  
• K-12 teachers and support staff and day care workers
  
  
• S. Post Office Employees who live or work in Detroit
  
  
• Employees of the City of Detroit or city-related agencies who are working from their regular job site (Employees working from home are not eligible at this time
  
  
• State and Federal Law enforcement working in Detroit
  
  
• Members of the Clergy interacting with members of their congregation
  
  
• Funeral Home/mortuary employees working in Detroit
  
  
• Paid and unpaid persons in health care settings who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials working in Detroit
  
  
• Members of the city’s disabled community
  
  
• Home health care workers living in Detroit

Good Neighbor appointments can be made by calling 313-230-0505. For more information on Detroit's vaccination sites and eligibility requirements, visit Detroitmi.gov.

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