Missouri District Uses School Buses to Assist in COVID Vaccine Distribution

A school district in Missouri used some of its school buses to transport 80 senior citizens to a COVID-19 vaccination site in North Kansas City on Monday.

North Kansas City Schools (NKCS), in partnership with a local coalition called Operation Safe, provided transportation service to seniors who were receiving their vaccines at Cerner Corp.’s headquarters, according to a news release from the district. Approximately 60 people living at the Gardens of Northgate, a senior living community in the area, were reportedly picked up via a school bus to get their vaccines. The buses also picked up another 20 senior citizens at Destiny Towers, a low-income housing complex nearby.

A total of four NKCS buses were used for the initiative, Susan Hiland, the district’s director of media and public relations, told School Bus Fleet.

Joyce Brockton, one of the vaccine recipients, told FOX4 Kansas City that she was hesitant to go to the large-scale vaccination event at Cerner’s headquarters due to increased traffic and not being sure where exactly to go. However, after being provided transportation, she added that the initiative was “great” and that she could tell a lot of people “are really happy this is going on.”

The buses stayed at Cerner’s headquarters during the vaccination process and then transported all of the residents back home, according to FOX4 Kansas City. The entire trip reportedly took about 90 minutes.

“Our school district has received a lot of support from our community during the pandemic, and with our resources, this is a great way for us to give back with smiles and transport,” Mike McQuillen, NKCS director of transportation, said in the district’s news release. NKCS added in a post on its Facebook page that the district “[looks] forward to continued partnership with Operation Safe as we do our part in ensuring that all those eligible for the vaccine have access.”

Operation Safe, a coalition of Clay County cities, healthcare institutions, and employers, expects to administer 10,000 vaccines this week alone, FOX4 Kansas City reports.

View the full post on the NKCS Facebook page, along with additional photos, below.