PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Two new partnerships aimed at getting more of the COVID-19 vaccine into people's arms in Delaware are already proving to be successful.
The state broadened its vaccination efforts with Vault Health to expand vaccine access to low-income, underserved seniors. The other program, called Curative, will lead vaccination events for Delawareans 65 and older who have registered on the waiting list.
"We're really going to work closely with them to really try to reach some of our communities of color and some of our lower-income communities," said Delaware Division of Public Health Director Dr. Karyl Rattay, "where it can be harder to reach people, harder to get people engaged for vaccination."
Organizations that serve low-income communities received invitations to the first Vault event earlier this week in Wilmington. The appointment-only event reached capacity.
Curative, a state testing partner, also held vaccination events this week. "Within a short amount of time, all the 750 slots did fill up," said Rattay.
Vault and Curative events are being held on top of the larger vaccination events that have been happening throughout Delaware on the weekends.
"We do have a focus right now on getting first doses into as many people as possible," Rattay said, "but also making sure everybody gets a second dose in a timely period."
People who already received the first dose should be getting more information "over the coming weeks," she said, about your second dose, if they haven't already.
Meanwhile, there's still a limited supply of the vaccine in the state and across the country.
Rattay said the first dose protects people from COVID-19-related deaths and hospitalizations, and there's some flexibility when a person needs their second shot.
