coronavirus new york city

NYPD officers deliver meals, help seniors get COVID vaccines

ByJim Dolan WABC logo

Thursday, March 25, 2021

Cops deliver meals, help seniors get COVID vaccines

New York City's finest are going above and beyond the call of duty to deliver meals to seniors and help them get vaccinated.

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- New York City's finest are going above and beyond the call of duty to deliver meals to seniors and help them get vaccinated.

When the police show up at your door, it doesn't look quite like COVID outreach.

"You're not in trouble, we just want to drop off some meals for you guys," officers said as they delivered meals to seniors.

The NYPD is partnering with Citymeals On Wheels, dedicating more than a dozen officers for a couple of hours every week, to help deliver food to folks who have trouble getting out of their apartments.

The United States' top immunologist will soon be the focus of a children's book.

But that's not all they're doing. They're also helping seniors get their COVID vaccinations.

That includes people like Simmeon Rephun, who just hasn't been able to navigate the online system and doesn't have a millennial around to help.

"We're gonna bring the millennials to them and we are going to show them how to navigate through the site," NYPD officer Katz Daughtery said.

NYPD Det. Daniel Lanning made the appointment for Rephun, and an officer will pick him up on Thursday to get his one dose, Johnson & Johnson vaccine, and bring him home.

"When it's difficult to make an appointment -- or even get transportation to some of these sites, it's difficult -- to be able to provide that to them right at their doorstep, it's a win for everybody," Lanning said.

"Just seeing the smile on his face -- that's what he was waiting for, he just felt he had to wait for a long time to just get the vaccine, and we were able to help him get that," NYPD Det. Jonadel Dorrego said.