Nearly all Americans who died of COVID-19 in May were unvaccinated, an analysis published Thursday by The Associated Press found.
The COVID-19 mega vaccination site at Fair Park was as busy as ever over the weekend, with over 1,000 appointments Saturday.
“We’re going to continue to be here for the next three weeks. Additionally, we have pop-up clinics throughout the community,” said Christian Grisales, with Dallas County Health and Human Services.
The AP analysis found that 99% of people killed by COVID-19 last month were not vaccinated.
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“The last percentage of our community members that are hesitant about the vaccine, it’s just going to require us being out there, being visible, being available to them, but just also realizing that it’s a community that may need a little more patience,” community advocate Leslie Armijo said.
She said part of the hesitancy comes from people who are undocumented immigrants.
“Our community here has hesitation around the institutions, and not necessarily the medical side of things,” Armijo said.
Dr. Cameron Webb, senior policy advisor for equity on the White House COVID-19 Response Team, Cares for COVID-19 patients and said COVID-19 deaths are more preventable than people think.
“I have that peace of mind that somehow if the virus were to get past the defenses that I have, it’s not going to get past the immunologic defense that I have in this vaccine,” Webb said.
With new variants spreading, medical professionals said getting vaccinated is still the best protection against COVID-19.
Armijo is partnering with as many schools as she can to reach kids and their parents over the next few weeks in an effort to get more people vaccinated.
