GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA) – The staff at the Greenville Rescue Mission’s Emergency Shelter has been working to get everyone who is eligible vaccinated.
“We’re going to be putting out as much information to those who come through our doors,” Adult Ministries at Greenville Rescue Mission Vice President Tim Brown said.
He said right now, getting people vaccinated is an on-going effort.
“Up until this point, we’ve been working with 65-year-old and older guests,” said Brown.
They’re also working with other shelters like the Triune Mercy Center and the Salvation Army to expand outreach. Brown said that’s how they’re able to notify those who aren’t living in a shelter.
“That’s the reason we’re coordinating with Prisma to set up certain points in Greenville,” Brown said. “Sites where they will have prior information before to know when they can come, where they can go to.”
Brown said the process to actually getting guests vaccinated has seen some hurdles.
“A lot of that depends on two things: the availability of the vaccine if it’s available, and the second thing is trying to get mobile units to our guests so that they can get the vaccine easily because they don’t have transportation,” said Brown.
But with the latest news from the Governor about the phase rollout, Brown said it’s going to be easier to lay a roadmap moving forward.
“And we’re hoping based on what we heard from the Governor is possibly having the Johnson and Johnson vaccine where it would only be one shot,” Brown said. “That would be the best thing for our guests.”
That way they won’t have to worry about finding a second shot if they decide to leave the shelter.
Brown said as of right now, out of the 140 people living at the shelter, 15 currently have the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.
Prisma Health send a statement to 7 News that says the healthcare system ‘has been engaging in talks with homeless shelters in the Upstate and Midlands to develop a strategy for vaccination. The use of mobile units is under discussion, but we don’t have a definitive plan at this time due to the limited vaccine supply. We look forward to working out the details and helping provide vaccines at those sites.’
