KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Transportation, access to internet and access to health care can all be barriers for someone trying to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Thankfully, community groups in Kansas City, Missouri, are working to help people overcome all of them.
A new program called Care Connect will provide transportation for people who need it to get their vaccine.
Charlie Shields, President and CEO of Truman Medical Centers/University Health, said the program is a partnership between TMC/UH, the Kansas City Area Transit Authority (KCATA) and the Housing Authority of Kansas City.
"This partnership will connect individuals who rely on Kansas City's public transportation to the experienced health care providers here at TMC/UH where they will receive this lifesaving vaccine to prevent COVID-19," Shields said.
About 40 people took the first ride of the program Thursday to receive their first dose of the vaccine. The recipients meet Missouri’s guidelines and were pre-selected by the Housing Authority of Kansas City.
Kansas City resident Piccola Williams was one of the recipients and said she feels a new sense of relief.
"I'm happy, I'm excited, for me this is the beginning of the end so to speak," Williams said.
It's been a difficult year for Williams, who lost a brother to COVID-19. She's grateful to have public transportation available to her so she can receive her shot.
"A lot of people need the support, they really do," Williams said. "Everybody doesn't have transportation, so it's a big deal."
Across town at Morning Star Baptist Church, hundreds of people received their first dose of the vaccine at one of the state's targeted mass vaccine clinics put on with the Missouri National Guard and the Local Investment Commission.
The clinic is meant to get vaccine into under-served areas where access to healthcare and transportation may be limited.
For people like Sherry Shirley, it means the shot she's been waiting for for months.
"That's all I kept thinking about once I got the phone call, the March 4 date stuck in my head," Shirley said.
With many vaccine sign-ups happening online, access to internet can be a cause for concern.
The Mid-America Regional Council started taking calls from older adults and seniors last week to assist in signing them up for a vaccine.
James Stowe, director of MARC'S aging and adult services department, said the organization will sign up on a registry on behalf of someone and notify them when they get an appointment.
"We've received over 1,200 calls and 750 of those have resulted in people being signed up on registries," Stowe said.
People 60 and over who live in Jackson, Clay, Platte, Cass or Ray counties can call 1-800-593-7948 to get help with registering for a vaccine.
