CareSouth Carolina, Inc. (Hartsville, SC) provides affordable, accessible, quality primary health care services to nearly 39,000 patients throughout rural South Carolina. More than 55% of their patients are African American. Center staff have worked tirelessly to increase access to—and confidence in—the COVID-19 vaccines.
They began by purchasing a fleet of mobile units, which they call the Moby Outreach Program. These units enabled them to bring single-dose Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccines to rural, underserved areas that would otherwise lack access. Recently, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control awarded them a Community Hero award for these efforts.
To promote vaccine confidence, CareSouth conducted a “Roll Up Your Sleeve” campaign, answering questions and clearing up misconceptions about the vaccines. They launched a video campaign featuring trusted community leaders (such as local pastors, health care providers, and community advocates) sharing messages about why they got vaccinated. In this example , a local pastor shares his story.
CareSouth’s community outreach team seeks to increase awareness of vaccination benefits by passing out flyers, knocking on doors, and working with community groups. Their goal is to distribute as many COVID-19 vaccines as possible to protect the patients they serve. As of July 20, 2021, they had provided nearly 26,000 COVID-19 vaccines!