The Colorado Equity Vaccine Team will host three equity vaccine clinics in Costilla and Conejos County for the BIPOC (Black/Indigenous/People of Color) community.  According to state demographer  Kyle Brunner,  Colorado Department of  Public Health & Environment,  for every seven white individuals who get vaccinated on  a daily basis only  one Latino gets vaccinated.  “There is a hesitancy among 18 to 45 year old, therefore there is more work to be done.” said Brunner.

In an effort to reach the BIPOC Community  the State of Colorado  in conjunction with the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment has formed a team to address this equity gap across the state.   The team has hired  eight coordinators who cover the counties where the gaps exist.  It also has access to four charter buses and a smaller van through Servicos de la Raza that will travel to the areas where access to clinic are a barrier. In the SLV, Shirley Romero Otero is the coordinator who will also cover La Plata and Montezuma Counties. “We are working in a collaborative manner with  County Public Health Departments and other health providers across the SLV to close this equity gap.”  stated Romero Otero. Equity Clinics are open to 18 year old and up and each clinic will make available 100-200 J&J doses per clinic.  Doses will be given on a first come, first served basis.

The equity clinics dates are as follows:

Friday, May  14 – Capulin, CO at  the  Saint Joseph’s Church  from 9:00 am -1:00pm

                                 La Jara, CO at the Our Lady of the Valley  Church from 2:00-6:00 pm

Saturday, May 15 – Ft. Garland, CO at the Visitors Center from 9:30 am – 3:30 on the Corner of Highway 160 & 159.

Sunday, May 16 – San Luis, CO at the Grace Chapel Church corner of 9th & Alfonso Street from 1:00 -6:00pm.

The charter buses are scheduled to be in Rio Grande, Alamosa, Conejos and Huerfano Counties in the coming weeks.

For further information or question/concerns call 970-640-8014.