Transportation Remains an Obstacle for Vaccinating Michigan Residents with Disabilities

Vaccinating individuals who cannot leave their homes due to lack of transportation or severe health complications is a huge challenge that Michigan health authorities have yet to resolve.

While free transportation is available (at least in the Lansing area) through the government, advocates worry that many of the people who need this service will be unable to use it, since for many who need transportation, “Their ability to reach out and coordinate that for themselves is quite limited because…they depend on other people.”

For those who cannot leave their house at all, vaccine options are not formalized. In the Lansing area, if county health workers are visiting a senior facility and come across a senior who cannot leave their house, that senior will receive a home vaccination. Otherwise, since vaccine vials hold more than one dose and the whole vial spoils quickly after it’s been opened, the county has expressed concerns about dose spoilage after home vaccinations. It remains to be seen if, in Michigan, those who cannot leave their homes will be able to get their vaccine at home or successfully request transportation.

Categories: Technical