Mobile vaccine clinic heads to public housing complexes

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A mobile vaccine clinic is making stops at public housing complexes so eligible residents can get the COVID-19 vaccine.

It's a happy day for John Batey. A mobile vaccine clinic came to his home at the Parthenon Towers on Tuesday.

"Well I feel wonderful and it was wonderful," Batey said, "Everybody’s been stressed out because ya know how things going."

The mobile vaccinations were made possible through a partnership with Ascension Saint Thomas and the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency.

Jamie Berry said, "and so many of them qualify for the vaccine right now, and ya know they live in close quarters, and so we really wanted to make sure that they have the opportunity to get the vaccine."

MDHA spokesperson Jamie Berry said some of their residents are older, disabled, or home-bound which makes it tough to get to appointments. "Allowing a mobile unit to come here and provide that vaccine on site is just remarkable," Berry said.

Mark Koster was also elated to get his shot. "The whole world should be vaccinated so everybody could try to go back to some form of normalcy because I’m tired of these masks, and I want to hug somebody," Koster said.

He said this helps with transportation obstacles too. "The convenience of the mobile unit coming to my home, as well as to other people’s homes that want to get the shot, is that I don’t have to worry about standing in line or running my car out of gas," Koster said.

MDHA has two more mobile vaccine clinics scheduled. According to Jennifer Keaton with Ascension Saint Thomas, they administered the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at the mobile clinic. It's one dose only which helps with logistics.

"We are currently exploring community partners right now, and we continue to provide the service where needed within our community," Keaton said.

Meanwhile, John Batey is ready for the pandemic to be over. "To be happy and let the worries go," Batey said.

The mobile clinic has vaccinated approximately 250 people. If you live in public housing, MDHA also made a deal with WeGo Public Transit so that bus rides to vaccine appointments are free.