Lynn Community Health Center (LCHC) announced today that it has administered 100,000 doses of the COVID‐19 vaccine to members of the community. This milestone marks a significant achievement in the ongoing effort to protect individuals and communities from the virus, and it reflects the hard work and dedication of LCHC’s healthcare team.
Since March 2020, LCHC has been at the forefront of the fight against COVID‐19, providing vital healthcare services to the Lynn community since the beginning of the pandemic. Following their mission to provide comprehensive, high‐quality care to all, regardless of ability to pay, they have been committed to health equity from the start, removing barriers to ensure all community members and patients had access to a vaccine as soon as they were eligible.
LCHC received their first shipment of COVID‐19 vaccine supply on December 22, 2020 and began vaccinating eligible staff the next day. By February of 2021, in partnership with the City of Lynn and the Lynn Department of Public Health, they opened a mass vaccination site at the Field House of the Lynn Technical Vocational Institute. At peak, over 6,000 patients came through per week to receive COVID‐19 vaccination doses.
“We are thrilled to have administered 100,000 doses of the COVID‐19 vaccine to our diverse patient and community population. Our team adapted and innovated amidst this unprecedented crisis and rose to each challenge we faced, working tirelessly to ensure equitable access to the vaccine.”
Dr. Kiame Mahaniah, CEO of Lynn Community Health Center.
To continue removing barriers, their Mobile Testing Team expanded to include a Mobile Vaccination Program. This multilingual, multicultural, and multidisciplinary community‐engagement team spent more than 1000 hours educating, encouraging, and supporting community members in making their COVID‐19 vaccine decision, while also conducting door‐to‐door canvassing and tabling at businesses and events. The team administered almost 3,000 vaccines throughout their service.
“We know that access to information and language can be a significant barrier for many in our community, so we made it a priority to provide information in multiple languages and to have interpreters on hand to help those who need it,” said Kimberly Eng, Chief Operating Officer .”We are committed to providing care to all members of our community, regardless of language, income, or background.” Eng attributed the health center’s equitable distribution to a robust community outreach program, using phone calls and texts from a variety of sources, and its pre‐existing relationships with patients.
LCHC has worked in collaboration with local and state authorities, as well as other healthcare providers, to ensure that vaccines are distributed equitably and efficiently. This has included partnering with local community organizations to reach underserved populations.
“We could not have reached this milestone without the support of our community partners,” said Dr. Geoff Pechinsky, Chief Medical Officer. “We are proud to be part of this effort to protect our community and ensure that all community members have access to information and vaccination if they desire.”
For more information about Lynn Community Health Center and its services, please visit www.LynnCHC.org.
The above press release was submitted to us by the Lynn Community Health Center.
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