Providers vaccinating senior citizens in their homes

Thousands of vaccine appointments go unfilled in the United States and some of the most vulnerable are getting left behind.

Homebound seniors remain isolated and caregivers are desperate for solutions.

Scripps reporter Amanda Brandeis explains how providers are getting "creative" to get shots to seniors in need.

APPOINTMENTS GO UNFILLED INTHE U-S -- AND SOME OF THE MOSTVULNERABLE AREGETTING LEFT BEHIND.HOMEBOUND SENIORS REMAINISOLATED -- AND CAREGIVERS ADESPERATE FOR SOLUTIONS.SCRIPPS REPORTER AMANDA BRANDEISEXPLAINS HOW PROVIDERS AREGETTING " CREATIVE" TO GET SHOTSTOSENIORS IN NEED.DONNA LINTHICUM / CAREGIVER TOMOTHER(6803) 4:29 "GUESS WHAT MOM?IN AN UNPREDICTABLE PANDEMIC,"YOU MIGHT BE ON TV!"HOME BECAME A HAVEN FOR DONNALINTHICU5:01 "YOU MIGHT BE THE STORY OFTHE DAY, WHO KNOWS!"A BARRIER PROTECTING HER MOMFROM THE VIRUS.1:58 "BARBARA IS GOING TO BE 91NEXT WEEK AND I'VE BEEN TAKINGCARE OF HER PRETTY STEADILY FOR3.5 YEARS NOW."DIAGNOSED WITH ALZHEIMER'S, THEDISEASE TOOK BARBARA'SMEMORIES OVER TIME."I WAS THE OLDEST OF THE SIX.WHEN I WAS IN 9TH GRADE SHEWANTED TO GET A JOB AND ENDEDUP STAYING AT THE OCEANSIDE POSTOFFICE FOR 38 YEARS."AND DURING THE PANDEMIC IT TOOKITS TOLL ON HER BODY."STARTED GETTING WEAK ANDCOULDN'T WALK ANYMORAND STARTED FALLING AND OFCOURSE I WANTED TO PROTECT HER."BUT NOT BEING ABLE TO LEAVETHEIR HOME, BECAME ABARRIER TO GETTING THE VACCINE.19:37 "I WAS VERY HAPPY WHEN IGOT THE CALL.

IF YOUR MOM STILLNEEDS THE VACCINE WE'D LIKE TOSEND A MOBILE UNIT TYOUR HOUSE.

AND I SAID, WOW,I'VE BEEN TRYING SINCEFEBRUARY."GO PRO NURSE 12:5:27 "FIRSTSTOP, ABOUT 15 MINUTES AWAY."DRIVING FROM HOME TO HOME, CITYBY CITY PROVIDERS ARENOW MAKING VACCINATION HOUSECALLS 6771 [30] WALKING INDOOR "DONNA?"GENE MA / CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICERAT TRI-CITY MEDICAL CENTER3:32 "I THINK THAT MANY OF THEMDIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN.

ITHINK THERE'S A LARGER GROUP OFPEOPLE OUT THERE WHO HAVELIMITED ABILITY TO GET TO AVACCINE CENTER."THAT FIGURE COULD BE UPWARDS OF1.6 MILLIONSENIORS.

AND REACHING THEM CANBE A CHALLENGE.WITH OBSTACLES RANGING FROMLIMITED TRANSPORTATION,A LACK OF INTERNET ACCESS, ORDISTRUST IN THEHEALTH CARE SYSTEM.4:20 "THERE ARE SIGNIFICANTLOGISTICAL CHALLENGES TOTHIS VACCINE, AS YOU KNOW.

WITHTHE COLD TEMPERATURECHAIN, WITH THE MANAGEMENT OFTHE VACCINE, TIMING OF THEVACCINE ONCE IT'S OPENED."6772 51 "ARE YOU FEELING GOODTODAY?" BUT FROM CALIFORNIA TOFLORIDA MOBILE VACCINE TEAMSARE ON THE GROUND IN CITIESACROSS THE COUNTRY.2:09 "IT'S NOT JUST A SHOT ITREPRESENTS A PATH FORWARD, ITREPRESENTS GETTING BACK TO ALLTHE THINGS THAT REALLYMATTER TO THEM, IT REPRESENTSHOPE." IN ALL 50 STATES, PEOPLECAN CALL 211 TO SEE IF THERE'S APROGRAM IN THEIR AREA, AND SIGNUP.6785 / 23 "HERE'S A STICKERTHAT SHE GOT THE VACCINATIONTODAY."8:57 "THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT THEFACT THAT THEIR FAMILIWILL BE ABLE TO COME BACK IN."5:14 "HEADLINES: BARBARA, COVIDSHOT!

J&J TO THE RESCUE!"FOR DONNA, THE SHOT DELIVEREDHER A SENSE OF PEACE.5:05 "FEELS LIKE A GOLDENTICKET."IN OCEANSIDE, CALIFORNIA, I'MAMANDA BRANDEIS.AND FEWER AMERICANS ARE ROLLINGUP THEIR SLEEVES FOR ACOVID-19 VACCINE.ACCORDING TO C-D-C DATA -- THEAVERAGE DAILY PACE OFCORONAVIRUS VACCINATIONS IS DOWNNEARLY 50 PERCENT FROMITS APRIL PEAK.OVER THE LAST WEEK -- ROUGHLYONE POINT EIGHT MILLION DOSES OFTHE VACCINE WERE GIVEN EACH DAY.NEARLY THREE-POINT-FOUR MILLIONDOSES PER DAY WEREADMINISTERED IN MID-APRIL.UPWARDS OF 160 MILLION PEOPLEABOUT 48 PERCENT OF THEU-S POPULATION HAVE RECEIVED ATLEAST ONE DOSE OF COVID-19VACCINE.ALMOST 127 MILLION PEOPLE AREFULLY VACCINATED.THAT'S ABOUT 38 PERCENT OF THEPOPULATIONTHERE'S STILL MUCH MORE TO COMEIN OUR NEXT HALF-HOUR.COMING UP NEXT...THE CONDORS ARE STILL ALIVE.WHAT WE CAN EXPECT IN GAME THREETONI