LYNN — In an effort to bring vaccines to the residents of the city in places that they feel comfortable, Lynn Community Health Center hosted a vaccination clinic Sunday at Ministerios Visión Cristiana on 333 Union St.
Sandra Mendez and her sister Debora Merida, both of whom work at Logan airport, were two Lynn residents who received the vaccine Sunday afternoon. They waited for about an hour after their Sunday church service to receive their shots.
“As Christians, we feel like God is in control of it regardless of whether or not there is a vaccine,” said Mendez. “But if this is going to make people around us feel more comfortable, and make ourselves more comfortable, then we’ll do it.”
Mendez felt that, if the vaccine clinic hadn’t been in the church, she would not have gotten a shot.
“To tell you the truth, I don’t think so,” she said. “We feel at peace here, and because it’s here that’s why we’re getting it. I don’t think I would have gone somewhere else.
“We’re helping us but we’re also helping people around us,” said Sandra. “It’s something that at least we have a higher percentage of being safe with it or without it.”
For LCHC officials, establishing this element of trust with the community through organizations like the churches is crucial to the vaccination push.
“It’s telling why people are receptive to receiving here as opposed to in a traditional health care setting,” said Rosie Conway, the practice manager of the COVID response team for the Lynn Community Health Center.
Dr. Catherine Reyes of the Lynn Community Health Center estimated that about 350 people were set to receive a vaccine at the clinic Sunday, making it the largest mobile clinic in the city so far. They were given single doses of Johnson and Johnson.
A key element of this vaccine drive was that patients did not have to register in advance.
“It’s a very low threshold way of getting people vaccinated because they don’t have to jump a lot of hurdles,” said Reyes.
Weeks ago, Dr. Reyes hosted a vaccination education clinic at the church, and she said that this partnership helped make the clinic happen.
In future mobile vaccination clinics, LCHC plans to target more churches, along with restaurants.
In addition, they will continue vaccinations at the Lynn Tech site. Their goal is to ramp up distribution so that they will be administering 10,000 doses each week. 3,000 of these doses will be through mobile clinics like the one at Ministerios Visión Cristiana Sunday, while 7,000 will be administered through the Lynn Tech clinic.
Those who currently qualify for vaccination in Massachusetts include people 55 and over, people who work in a variety of professions including education, child care, food service, cleaning personnel, transportation, and those with one or more specific health conditions.
A full list is available at the government website and people can register for a vaccine at this website.
On April 19, every resident above the age of 16 will be eligible for vaccination.
