“People don’t even have to leave the bus,” said Butler County Health Commissioner Jennifer Bailer.
Oxford Human Resources Director Kim Newlin said senior residents within the district need to call 513-524-5238 to schedule their appointments. If they need a ride to the bus, transportation can be arranged, she said.
Public Transit is essential to our community! BCRTA has partnered with the City of Oxford to help transport residents...
Posted by Butlercountyrta on Friday, March 5, 2021
The Butler County General Health District has vaccinated thousands of people at the Butler County Fairgrounds in the past week who either live or work in the county. The Butler County RTA and Oxford partnership has helped vaccinate busloads of seniors over the past couple of weeks.
Bailer and the Butler County RTA is starting the conversations with other communities about this group vaccination, and RTA Executive Director Matthew Dutkevicz said the organization is “here to help.”
“Public transit is a community resource, and we’re there for people who can’t get there or can’t get those rides,” he said. “We’re dealing with it as it evolves, just like everybody else.”
Dutkevicz said Oxford funded the program through CARES Act funds, and Ohio recently awarded BCRTA about $200,000 through the Rides to Community for Immunity program.
Dutkevicz said any BCRTA fixed route is free, and members of his staff are working to create a map that shows vaccination sites along the RTA’s fixed routes. He said that should be ready mid-week this week.
RTA has a BGO service, a paid service similar to Uber or Lyft. Patrons can get free rides for vaccines, if they specify that when booking the trip. Questions about BCRTA routes and services should be directed online or at 513-785-5237.
The idea was presented to Don Bennett, Fairfield’s acting city manager, who said “we certainly are interested.”
BCRTA Mobility Manager Shawn Cowans said they are “very much in the beginning stages” but would also like to extend this to other areas, including veterans groups and other Butler County communities. Cowans is handling organizing those events and can be reached at 513-785-5398.
“The group trips work phenomenally well, to be able to pick up a group in one location, take them to the fairgrounds and drop them back off at one location,” she said. “That’s more of the model we are trying to push for people to do.”
WHAT TO KNOW
Oxford area
What: Vaccination bus trips for senior citizens within the Talawanda School District
When: Buses depart at 1 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays, appointments are required.
How: Call 513-524-5238 to schedule an appointment
Butler County
Anyone who is 40 years and older, or who has qualified medical conditions, can register for the vaccine at any provider.
Beginning on March 29, all Ohioans 16 and older are eligible.
To sign up for the mass vaccination at the Butler County Fairgrounds should sign up at health.bcohio.us.
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