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Macomb County offering transportation for seniors to get COVID-19 vaccine

COVID-19 vaccine
Posted at 2:03 PM, Feb 16, 2021
and last updated 2021-02-23 12:48:20-05

MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. (WXYZ) — The Macomb County Health Department is expanding the opportunity for senior residents to be vaccinated.

Last week, the department announced a new location for residents aged 65 and older to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The county will expand a program in partnership with SMART and Richmond/Lenox EMS for any resident 65 and up who relies on bus services due to transportation barriers.

SMART will assist in fielding calls and registering seniors on a wait list, which the county will use to set up appointments when vaccines are available. SMART will also make transportation arrangements for those that request assistance. Interested seniors should call the SMART Macomb Vaccine Hotline at 586-421-6579 to register for the county wait list.

SMART representatives will be available to take calls between the hours of 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Saturdays, and 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Sundays. Seniors or someone they know can avoid the call altogether by emailing macombvaccine@smartbus.org, and including their name, address, phone number and date of birth. This is the quickest and easiest way to get registered, the county says.

Once the county calls interested seniors to schedule the vaccination, the vaccine will be administered by trained medical professionals. The county will continue work to make vaccination sites available in local communities as vaccine supplies increase.

“We remain committed to expanding access to the COVID vaccine for senior citizens across Macomb County," said Macomb County Executive Mark A. Hackel in a press release. “Our partnership with SMART and RLEMS allows us to aid those most vulnerable in our community and illustrates our collective potential to get the vaccine to those that need it most.”