GREENSBORO, N.C. — A ministry group and hospital are working together to help make sure homeless people are being protected against the coronavirus. 

Greensboro Urban Ministry has teamed up with Cone Health to offer vaccination clinics to the homeless population. 


What You Need To Know

  • Experts said this population is susceptible to communicable diseases 

  • Greensboro Urban Ministry is working to educate the homeless population on the vaccine

  • The shelter vaccinated up to 50 people in its clinic

 
A resident at the Greensboro shelter is relieved to be getting his vaccine, because it has been a worry for him. Danny McSwain has lived at Greensboro Urban Ministry's Weaver House shelter throughout most of the pandemic.

"You always worry about it because people come and go. You never know where they go and who they're around," he said.

He signed up for the shelter's vaccination clinic and was feeling anxious ahead of his first dose.

"I'm a little nervous, but I believe it's going to be worth it in the long run," he said.

He said he knows it is the right decision for not just himself but others staying at the shelter.

"You never know who you're going to be around. I don't want to catch the coronavirus if I can help it so if it's going to help me, I appreciate it," McSwain added.

The shelter's director, Michael Pearson, said it is important to bring the vaccine clinics to the homeless.

"They need to have that access to the vaccine because communicable disease is something that's very common for this group and a lot of it has to do with because they are a transient population. They don't have the access that someone who has a day-to-day job has," he said.

While putting together the clinic has required a lot of coordination, Pearson said education to ease hesitancy has been key.

McSwain said he made this decision with others who may be at a higher risk in the community in mind too.

"If you've got older folks in your family, grandparents, parents, even small children, they can get it too. I've got a little boy, he's 7. I don't want him to get it, that's why I'm doing it," McSwain said.