VNSNY Leads Vaccination Program for Homebound Queens Residents

VNSNY has been partnering with NYC’s Homebound COVID-19 Vaccine Program since April, conducting in-home vaccinations to homebound Queens individuals referred through the City’s program. City residents can be vaccinated at home with the COVID-19 vaccine if they are 75 years or older, have a disability, or are fully homebound, which means that the individual cannot leave their home. VNSNY has vaccinated more than 1,700 homebound individuals and hundreds of additional household members and caregivers to date.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that approximately 84% of people over the age of 65 have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 72% have received both doses. But in the New York City area, where The New York Times reports that “an estimated 23,000 homebound seniors and other homebound adults need shots,” numbers have been substantially lower.

With this in mind, the City partnered with VNSNY, who early in January set up a vaccination clinic for employees and supported rapid vaccination outreach to vulnerable members of its Medicaid Managed Long Term Care health plan, VNSNY CHOICE. Entrenched as a trusted home health care provider in Queens for decades, VNSNY’s infrastructure and experience won it designation as the City’s lead vaccine provider throughout the entire borough.

“So often, when I walk into someone’s home,” says VNSNY vaccination nurse Michael Kiragu, “I see a person who is alone, who may feel afraid or forgotten because they can’t get out anymore like they used to. They may not have talked to anyone that day, and they’re grateful that we can bring the vaccine to them at home. We spend time with them, making sure they understand how the vaccine works and how to stay safe.”

Homebound New Yorkers who wish to get the COVID-19 vaccination at home need to fill out the City’s short form online at https://forms.cityofnewyork.us/f/homebound. Individuals can also submit their information directly to VNSNY at: www.vnsny.org/homevaccine or by calling 646-599-3034. All individuals who submit a form will be contacted right away to discuss the program and schedule an appointment, if qualified.

“Throughout the pandemic, VNSNY nurses have been on the frontlines caring for the most frail and vulnerable in our communities,” said Eloise Goldberg, who is leading VNSNY’s In-Home Vaccination Program in Queens. “We are proud the City has chosen us as a partner for this important next step in keeping New Yorkers safe.”

VNSNY is one of a select group of healthcare providers authorized by the City to screen and provide the COVID-19 vaccine at home to eligible New Yorkers. The other selected providers are Zeel, Doral Health & Wellness, and SeniorCare Emergency Medical Services.

To learn more about the City’s COVID-19 vaccination programs, visit www.NYC.gov/CovidVaccine.