Vaccination Event at Abraham Lincoln High School Reminds Denver of Its Struggles to Close Racial Vaccine Gap
The waiting area inside of Lincoln High School gym sits empty as not many came to the walk-in Covid vaccination clinic.
By Robert Davis
Photos by Adrian Michael
Local leaders and community partners held a vaccination event at Abraham Lincoln High School this past weekend in an effort to close the city’s persistent racial vaccination gap. While several people were successfully inoculated at the event, it also served as a reminder of the city’s struggles to inspire its non-White communities to get vaccinated
Between Friday, June 25, and Saturday, June 26, Denver Health’s Mobile Health Clinic offered free vaccines in the gym at the school. Staff had more than 500 total vaccines from all three manufacturers ready for use, including some second dose vaccines for those who had already received their first dose. Anyone aged 12 or older was eligible to receive a vaccine at the event.
Denver Health conducted extensive outreach leading up to the event, according to April Valdez-Villa, a spokeswoman for the agency. Their efforts included reaching out to community centers, churches, and councilmembers Kevin Flynn (District 2), Amanda Sandoval (District 1), and Jamie Torres (District 3). Stare Representative Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez (D-Denver) and Senator Julie Gonzales (D-Denver) as well as Denver Public School Board member Angela Cobain also participated in the outreach efforts.
The agency offered vaccination appointments for each manufacturer, walk-in appointments, and telephone registration services in addition to the mobile outreach clinic. Denver Health even offers vaccine fact sheets in 11 languages other than English.
Still, by Saturday’s end, only 153 shots were given out in total, Valdez-Villa said. The remaining shots had to be thrown out because of state guidelines.
“Despite our continued vaccination efforts, the race gap still persists,” she told the Denver VOICE in an interview. “Denver is trying hard to close that gap, and our mobile health clinic is one part of that strategy.”
According to Denver Health’s vaccination data, neighborhoods inside Denver’s “Inverted L” all have vaccination rates above 70%. The neighborhoods include Capitol Hill, Park Hill, and Cherry Creek. These neighborhoods are also mostly White.
Meanwhile, neighborhoods outside of the “L” are mostly non-White and have an average vaccination rate near 30%. Only 22% of Hispanic and Latinx communities, specifically, in Denver have been vaccinated.
While experts can point to numerous reasons why the race gap with COVID-19 vaccinations exists, no one is really sure why it persists. Lily Pham, a charge nurse with Denver Health’s Mobile Health Clinic, told the VOICE that several factors can play into a person’s ability to get a vaccine. Some include whether their job offers paid time off, if they have a car, and whether or not they have a computer so they can find a vaccine appointment.
Becky Robinson, a charge nurse for Denver Health preps a vial of Pfizer Covid vaccine into a syringe.
Because of these factors, Pham said it’s important for vaccine providers to start meeting unvaccinated people “where they are.” This includes offering walk-in clinics, nighttime vaccination appointments, and working weekends.
“Expanding our hours really helped us reach more people,” Pham said. “We used to close between 4:30 and 5:00 pm, but now we’re staying open past 7:00 pm on some nights. We’re seeing a lot of people coming between 6:00 and 7:00 pm, which, I think, speaks to the success of the mobile health unit.”
Silvia Guillen of Denver Health administers the Pfizer vaccine.
Yet, even with the expanded hours and weekend appointment slots, Denver Health struggled to get people to show up to Abraham Lincoln. On Friday, clinic workers gave out 88 vaccines. The next day, they gave out just 65.
For those who chose to get the vaccine, the event was a welcome relief. Melissa Allen, who took her 12-year-old son Marcellus to the event, said she decided to get him vaccinated after her research confirmed what scientists are already saying: the risks associated with COVID-19 are much worse than any posed by the approved vaccines.
Marcellus said he was happy to come, and for one simple reason.
“I don’t want to wear this mask anymore once school starts again,” he told the VOICE.
Marlene Ortiz, 15, told the VOICE that she and her family decided to get vaccinated because it would help protect them in the future. Both of her parents are painters and are constantly traveling to other people’s homes, she said. Without the vaccine, she said it is risky for her parents to go to work.
“It’s important for everyone, regardless of their race or gender, to get the vaccine,” Ortiz said. “That way we can end the virus and start putting it behind us.”
DPS Board Member Angela Cobian.