New York City is rolling out its door-to-door COVID-19 vaccination program for seniors who are unable to leave their homes—a step forward made possible by the recently authorized Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which does not require the deep cold storage that the two other vaccines available in the U.S. do, making it easier to transport and disseminate.
The program is not just a win for homebound seniors. Health professionals who visit will also inoculate everyone else in the household who is eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine. It’s an overlooked detail in the initiative that could help prevent the virus from ravaging multigenerational homes.
Here’s a breakdown of how to take advantage of the opportunity if you or a loved one is homebound:
Can I sign up a family member or someone I take care of?
Yes.
If you are homebound or want to sign-up a family member or someone you care for who is homebound, fill out an interest form for in-home vaccinations here.
You can also call the city’s vaccine hotline at 1-877-VAX-4NYC, which has options to call in English or Spanish. Those seeking a vaccine appointment through the hotline have told us it takes some time to get through to an attendant, so be prepared to wait.
Who qualifies for the program?
The main recipient must be a New York City resident who is fully homebound and has not taken a dose. They must not have access to a different vaccination program—such as one through their healthcare provider.
How is homebound defined?
They must be unable to leave their home at all.
People who have challenges leaving their homes but could still access the shots through in-building programs or with transportation to a vaccine hub would not be included in this particular program, city officials explained during a press briefing on Tuesday.
“People who are the focus of in-home vaccination for the early parts of our efforts are indeed people who are completely homebound—meaning that they cannot leave the home even with a very significant amount of assistance and transportation,” NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi said.
Can others in the home get vaccinated?
Yes, but there are caveats.
First, these caretakers or co-habitants must be eligible, but they can get the shot even if they’re not themselves homebound or if another route is available to them.
That would include anyone with specific underlying conditions, at least 60 years old, a home health aide, or other types of workers deemed eligible by New York state officials. A full eligibility list is available here.
Why does it matter?
Columbia University health economist Adam Sacarny noted this inclusion would have a positive “spillover effect” for the family—a concept reminiscent of his research showing the benefits of adult Medicaid expansions on getting kids insured. In an analysis last March looking at Medicaid coverage in Oregon, Sacarny and his colleagues found for every nine adults who signed up for the health insurance program for low-income families, one child ended up enrolled as well.
He said the extra feature in the city’s campaign may reach people who are too busy to get vaccinated or unable to get an appointment elsewhere. It will also help protect multifamily or multigenerational homes, which are vulnerable to outbreaks, by extending immunity to more members of a household.
“It’s even more powerful in this context, just because we know so much spread of COVID happens inside the household,” Sacarny told Gothamist. “If you just meet them where they are, that sounds great to me.”
What if I’m not vaccine eligible but live with someone who is homebound?
Then you will have to wait to become eligible, according to a City Hall spokesperson.
After filling out the interest form, how soon would an appointment be scheduled?
It is unclear. The city has to double-check an applicant’s eligibility and has no other option to get vaccinated.
An in-home vaccination program is “logistically complicated,” commissioner Chokshi has previously said.
Mayor Bill de Blasio aims to get all homebound residents vaccinated by the end of April. The city has around 20,000 homebound older adults, Department of Aging Commissioner Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez said earlier this month.
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How many people have gotten vaccinated through the program so far?
Around 400 vaccinations as of Tuesday, according to a City Hall spokesperson.
The city first deployed vaccination teams armed with Johnson & Johnson shots for seniors at Co-Op City in the Bronx and a senior complex in the Brighton Beach neighborhood of Brooklyn. The effort aimed to reach 240 people a day.
Are you a New York City resident who is homebound or cares for someone homebound? Have you tried to sign up for an appointment through the city’s interest form? Reach out to us at [email protected] to tell a reporter about your experience.
