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Johnson County health officials are organizing mobile vaccine clinics to reach hundreds of Johnson County seniors who missed getting doses in the initial stages of the nationwide vaccine rollout.

Why it matters

• The seniors being targeted by these new mobile clinics live in unlicensed, independent living communities.
• Many of them are 80 years and older and have underlying health conditions and are living in close proximity to other seniors at their communities.
• Multiple communities told the Shawnee Mission Post that they’ve seen their case numbers increase since the start of the year as they’ve waited to get vaccinated.
• At one Lenexa community Greenwood Terrace, a manager said 5 residents died in January as they scrambled to find vaccines for their residents.

Why this is happening

• Independent senior living communities like Greenwood Terrace were not included in the federal government’s vaccine pharmacy partnership administered by CVS and Walgreens.
• That program targets assisted living and long-term care facilities and has helped vaccinate thousands of Johnson County seniors and staff living and working in those types of communities.
• But residents of independent facilities, along with their families and managers at these facilities, began to worry that they would fall through the cracks as Johnson County expanded vaccine eligibility to more prioritized groups.

The details

• The county health department says it has identified at least 27 independent senior living communities that need vaccination.
• Roughly 1,900 seniors and staff will be covered by these mobile clinics.
• The mobile vaccine clinics will be offered in partnership with Hy-Vee and Auburn Pharmacy.
• The clinics are expected to start next week. A manager at Greenwood Terrace confirmed to the Post that Auburn Pharmacy is set to hold an on-site mobile clinic there on Wednesday, Feb. 17.

Go deeper

• Read: Why some Johnson County seniors are still finding it hard to get COVID-19 vaccines