The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Housing and Urban Development are joining forces to boost access to Covid vaccinations, the agencies’ leaders announced Wednesday.
The joint effort, unveiled by HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra and HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge, directs community health centers, public housing providers and others to take steps to increase Covid-19 testing and vaccinations, with a focus on those experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
“We have now, in writing, directed our agencies to work together to reach individuals in public housing,” Becerra said of the partnership. “And so it's not just that we want to do it, we're directing our people now to work together to get that done.”
Wednesday’s announcement comes one day after President Joe Biden set a new goal of administering at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose to 70% of the US adult population and having 160 million US adults fully vaccinated by July 4.
To reach this goal, the two agency heads both acknowledged that more work needs to be done to address vaccine hesitancy, which they hope to combat by reaching people where they are.
“Just because it is available doesn't mean that people have access,” Fudge said, adding their goal is “to meet people where we find them – to go to places where people congregate, whether it be in public housing authorities, whether it be in community centers. We're trying to take the vaccine to the people.”
In response to a question about why this partnership is being announced now, especially given the Biden administration’s focus on equity in its pandemic response, Fudge outlined some of the challenges of reaching people during the pandemic.
“It’s just difficult because of the Covid itself, it’s harder to get to people,” Fudge said, pointing to those who lack transportation or internet access to schedule appointments.