Community organizers are answering the call -- hitting the streets to get people signed up for the COVID-19 vaccine.
Community organizer, Leslie Cannon, said the decision to get involved was easy. She did the same thing months ago during the testing phase, and now the priority has shifted to vaccinations.
“We need to get out there. We need to do our part in registering our own community,” she said.
As a community organizer, Cannon focuses on Dallas’ District 1, encompassing Oak Cliff. Every few days, she and other volunteers set up camp with computers, laptops and hotspots to help people sign up. The need is evident by the number of people in line for assistance. Cannon said more resources from the county and city would be helpful but won’t stop their efforts either way.
“There’s a big digital divide issue,” she said. “If we have the support from the community we can come together, and we can make it happen. Look, you bring your table, you bring your table cloth and we’re going to get out here and register our senior citizens and our community despite these memorandums going back and forth.”
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said people can expect to see grassroots outreach crop up in other districts as well. Still, some said they’ve lost faith in the county’s vaccination process. Jenkins said Dallas County planned to install what’s called a QR system to make registration more secure.
“So, similar to the way that you get a concert ticket, we’ll able to match the driver’s license or ID to the person who is on that QR. So that will solve a lot of those problems,” Jenkins said.
In the meantime, volunteers like high school senior Nicholas Smith said they will continue the groundwork.
“A community like this a community that I’m familiar with," Smith said. "I know there’s a lot of people who aren’t very tech-savvy."
Jenkins said Dallas County can expect an additional 43,000 vials of this vaccine this week with 9,000 going to the Fair Park mega-site.
Texas COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution
Data from the Texas Department of State Health Services shows where COVID-19 vaccines have been sent around the state. Click on a marker to find out information about each location. Use the "plus" and "minus" signs below to zoom in and out of the map.
From the Texas DSHS: Availability of COVID-19 vaccines lilsted on this map are based on shipping information and reporting to the DSHS directly by facilities. Please contact providers in advance to confirm vaccination location and hours, that they have vaccine on hand and that you are eligible for vaccination at that site. Not all providers are vaccinating the public or people in all priority groups. Vaccine is available at no charge, regardless of insurance status.