Pop-up vaccination clinic in Gilroy targets Latino seniors, farmworkers

GILROY, Calif. - A one-day pop-up vaccination clinic was held in Gilroy on Friday specifically for people 65 years years and older. 

The hope is to get COVID under control in the area with the highest rates of infection in Santa Clara County.
 
All eligible recipients had to do was show up, get a wristband, and get their vaccine dose. 
 
"It was the easiest ever. I just got up, walked across the railroad tracks, got in line, and here I am," said Linda Stites of Gilroy.
 
Mark Aguilar of Morgan Hill added, "Got in within 15 minutes I'd say."
 
Gardner Health Services already has a clinic in Gilroy and COVID testing had shown a problem.

 The city had the highest infection rate in Santa Clara County, almost four times as much as any other city.
 
"We've been having this conversation because there's definitely a need in the Gilroy area to vaccinate people," said Dr. Ramjani Chandramouli, medical director of Gardner Health Services.
 
So the clinic partnered with the county and city of Gilroy to get the pop-up vaccination event off the ground.
 
"We don't want the distinction of being the highest infection rate in the county. We don't want that distinction. We don't want anybody to have to deal with that. And so we're attacking it where it is," said city councilmember Rebeca Armendariz. 
 
The pop-up event targeted people ages 65 and older, with a focus on the Latino community and migrant farmworkers. Volunteers put up flyers and went door to door to get the word out. 
 
"I think the benefit of what we've been doing is it's first come first served. It's walk-up. You don't need technology," said Reymundo Espinoza, CEO of Gardner Health Services.

And for that, people seemed grateful.

Hector and Maria Santos had tried booking online appointments at other sites with no luck.
 
"We haven't got any response other than they received the application. That was it. Here we just come in, sign up and it's over," said Hector Santos.
 
The clinic had about 200 doses of the Moderna vaccine to give out.
In a few weeks, they'll regroup for second doses. And they say, as more people become eligible, they'd like to schedule more clinics in Gilroy.