Salinas Valley Health Helping Indigenous Population Become Fully Vaccinated

Media Contact: Karina Rusk
831-759-1843

As an increasing rate in COVID-19 cases causes concern, Salinas Valley Health is using its Mobile Heath Clinic to deliver critical second vaccine doses to the rural community of Greenfield. The potentially life-saving vaccine is being delivered to more than 100 people already partially immunized in a project promoting health equity. People who received the free vaccine last month will become fully immunized on Saturday.

In June, Salinas Valley Health partnered with Centro Binacional para el Desarollo Indigena Oaxaqueno (CBDIO) to deliver free COVID-19 vaccine to underserved populations. The Center identified Greenfield as a vulnerable community needing easy access to the vaccine and the convenience of the Salinas Valley Health Salinas Valley Health Mobile Clinic.

“We knew this would be an important collaboration,” said Pete Delgado, Salinas Valley Health President/CEO. “We had no idea however just how critical our mission would become with the rapidly spreading Delta variant. Our partnerships with grass roots organizations serving indigenous populations are more important than ever before.”

Trained staff from the Salinas Valley Health Salinas Valley Health Mobile Clinic will administer a second dose of the Pfizer vaccine to individuals 12 and older who received a first dose during a special Salinas Valley Health Mobile Clinic effort on June 26. CBDIO pre-registered more than 100 unvaccinated people in the first outreach campaign and both teams will once again accommodate as many walk-ins as possible.

“There can be many barriers to vaccine access,” said Delgado. “Our mobile clinic helps eliminate some of the challenges of location, transportation and timing. We go to where underserved families live and offer the vaccine on a Saturday with hours that provide the most flexibility for families.”

Delgado added that CBDIO is an engaged partner, providing critical knowledge and input to help close the health equity gap. The COVID-19 vaccine clinic will take place Saturday, July 17 from 3pm-8pm at a centralized location in Greenfield, 140 El Camino Real.

To date, Salinas Valley Health has administered more than 51,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses to the community.