Central Michigan University's Mobile Health Clinic bringing COVID-19 vaccines to rural communities

In an effort to deliver the COVID-19 vaccine to rural communities in central Michigan, the Mid-Michigan District health Department partnered with Central Michigan University. The partnership allows students to gain hands-on experience in public health while reaching patients in remote areas who may have trouble getting to vaccine distribution sites. Through the use of the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions' Mobile Health Central vehicle, 100 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine were administered to medically vulnerable residents, aged 60 and over, in the communities of Edmore and St. Louis. Additional mobile vaccine clinics are planned for the near future.

CMU recently published an article about the mobile vaccination effort in which the challenges of reaching rural communities are explained. Transportation barriers are the major deterrent for residents of these communities, particularly among the senior populations. Helen Lee, Mobile Health Central's coordinator of community outreach said, "Rural areas pose unique challenges for Michiganders to get their COVID-19 vaccinations. This partnership with the MMDHD minimizes transportation barriers by going to the people rather than expecting them to drive long distances to see us."

With the ultimate goal of controlling the pandemic being herd immunity, leaders at CMU are focused on ways they can help meet that goal. As Tom Masterson, dean of the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions elaborated in a story published by local television news outlet WJRT, "We're not going to get to a herd immunity without people in rural America, Michigan or Ohio or wherever getting the vaccine. Being a part of that, a part of history is something else. We have students wanting to help with this project because it's such a valuable experience." 

Students from CMU's nursing, physician assistant and public health programs worked alongside faculty to operate the clinic. Some students helped with greeting and checking in patients while others helped with the actual administration of the vaccine. The vaccination effort helped students earn valuable experience in the field. As Lee put it, "This COVID-19 vaccination clinic is the ideal interprofessional education and practice endeavor for our students. Various health professions programs came together as a team to administer COVID-19 vaccines to community members."

Mobile Health Central will be back in Edmore on March 23 with another 20 doses and will move on to Belvedere Township with an additional 60 doses. Lee said she is hoping to receive more vaccine supply soon so they can broaden the effort to vaccinate more residents of the central Michigan region.