Hundreds of east valley residents get vaccinated at North Shore mobile clinic

The efforts made to help people living in the east valley get vaccinated continued this weekend.

News Channel 3’s Caitlin Thropay was out at the North Shore near the Salton Sea where a vaccination clinic took place on Saturday.

“I think this means a lot especially I know a lot of people here struggle with transportation and they often have to ride the bus to get to places so coming here to areas where they’re closer to is a lot better for them," Daniela Nunez, a Salton City resident told News Channel 3.

Nunez was one of the over 600 east valley residents to get the Pfizer vaccine this weekend at a mobile vaccination clinic at the North Shore Community Park.

“I think it’s great because a lot of people in the area work late and it’s better instead of having to make doctor’s appointments and drive all the way to Indio and Palm Springs, you know it’s really far," she said.

In addition to her shot, she received a bag full of masks from CV Mask and the Western Wind Foundation.

Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz was also at the clinic helping to vaccinate some of the people there.

“The Desert Healthcare District with RiteAid under President Biden's program have vaccinated over 7,000 people in the last 30 days and these aren’t just anybody these are the individuals that have been the hardest hit, the hardest to reach, those that haven’t received the vaccine, that haven’t been able to sign up online because they have no internet, they don’t have flexibility in their workplace so they are overcoming the barriers that exist and keeping everyone safe by targeting those that are at highest risk and so I’m just very proud to be a part of that,” Dr. Ruiz said.

We asked him how he thinks the overall vaccination efforts in the east valley are going.

“There has been a lot of progress and as the vaccines come people are getting vaccinated," he said. "There’s no hesitancy. The only barriers are the logistical barriers of living excluded in a health care system where disparities exist and the lack of resources but if you bring the resources if you make the effort to go door to door, if you go into the community, if you bring the vaccines they will come," he added.

Ruiz also said for us to expect more mobile clinics like this one to continue here.