Written by Tanya Terry
Flint and Genesee County members not only will have three vaccination options at an upcoming vaccination event to be held at a local church, but they can get more familiar with the deaf and hard of hearing community at the same time.
At the next Communication Access Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing event, not only will all three three vaccines will be available, but masks and water will also be provided.
Although the event is open to the public, it was very important the event be fully accessible to the deaf and hard and hearing community. These individuals often experience communications barriers, which may make getting vaccinated more challenging.
The Communication Access Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing participated in a Genesee County Health Department vaccination outreach event Saturday August 21 at the Valley Agency on Aging. The center did registration for the health department. The event was called “An Old Fashioned Picnic” and was for agency members only. There were approximately 50 event attendees, and included deaf and hard of hearing individuals, who watched a presentation by Theresa Miracle, executive director of communication access for the Communication Access Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Lunch was provided for all the attendees. No interpreters were needed because all the individuals who were deaf or hard of hearing there knew sign language.
Miracle said the group was intentionally much smaller than a group at vaccination outreach event the center has held in the past, due to the spread of the Delta variant. That event involved eight interpreters and 134 deaf individuals.
On August 21, Miracle explained COVID-19 is still spreading and said more people need to be vaccinated in order to stop the spread. She also explained to the attendees the Communication Access Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing would be partnering with the Genesee County Health Department to provide vaccinations for those who want them again in the near future.
“Many of them had further questions about the boosters and when they would be getting their third vaccination,” Miracle said. “We explained it was not available now, but that we would be getting that. We just shared information with them to pass on to their family members. We will do that again on the 31.”
Unlike the center’s previous event, the 12-4 p.m. August 31 event will be open to all ages, with those 12 and up eligible to be vaccinated. It will be held in the parking lot of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. Other churches which deaf and hard of hearing individuals also attend were invited. Master’s Hand Deaf Church and Calvary Temple Apostolic Church were invited. Miracle said she invited the Michigan School for the Deaf, and center staff is reaching out to other deaf or hard of hearing individuals in the community and their families, as well. In addition, the event is open to the public.
St. Paul’s pastor, Pastor Brant Engel, will be available to talk to members of the public. Pastor Thomas Dunseth will also be there to talk to community members. Both know American Sign Language.
There will be two interpreters for those who require them.
The event was funded by the Community Foundation of Greater Flint and the United Way, in partnership.
This will be a walk-in event. No registration is required.
