AURORA, Colo. -- Salud Family Health Centers are teaming up Thursday with UCHealth and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to get COVID-19 vaccines to 500 Coloradans over the age of 70. The organization will construct a "pop-up" vaccine clinic in Aurora.
"It is a great model of hour our community can work together to get our citizens vaccinated," said John Santistevan, president of Salud Family Health Centers in Colorado. "It is a very large network of serving the underserved."
The Salud Family Health Centers clinics across the state have vaccinated more than 4,480 seniors in Colorado. The goal is to reach communities that have less access to healthcare facilities.
"We are focused on fair and equitable distribution," explained Gov. Jared Polis in a press conference on Tuesday. "That means geographic, by income by race. All of the factors we want to make sure we can serve everybody over 70."
Thursday's temporary vaccine clinic is attempting to do just that. With the help of UC Health, the clinic is open to everyone in Aurora over the age of 70. Seniors can sign up through the Salud Family Health Center website.
The health center has also initiated an information campaign to increase awareness and confidence in the vaccine.
"The challenges, first of all, is reaching (Coloradans)," said Dr. Eleanor Floyd, a physician at Salud Family Health Clinic. "And then, there's a lot more vaccine hesitancy."
Another effort by the clinic is to vaccinate rural farmers and migrant workers with their mobile unit. Right now, the unit is used to administer COVID-19 tests, but it will soon be used to give vaccine access to underserved rural communities.
"Right now, the important thing is to get everybody vaccinated," said Deb Salazar, the migrant health director at Salud. "It's important that people know that we're here that we're here to give the vaccine to whoever needs it."
