DENVER — As concerns over the COVID-19 delta variant grow, the Biden Administration is reporting an increase in vaccination rates in underserved communities.
The Biden Administration reports that so far this year, community health centers have administered 14 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine and 9 million doses have gone to minority patients.
The administration said compared to 350 million doses total given out across the U.S., this is a small number, but it does represent some progress.
Bob McDonald, the executive director of Denver’s Department of Public Health and Environment, said in the City and County of Denver, progress has been slow but steady.
“We are seeing less disparity than we were when vaccines first rolled out, but we need to do more and we have a lot of strategies underway to chip away at that disparity,” McDonald said.
McDonald said the city has established seven vaccination sites in five communities that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
Through those sites, the city has administered 20,000 vaccine doses.
Using a mobile unit, they’ve also held 305 events and 350 vaccination equity clinics in partnership with local community groups and nonprofits.
“With the vaccine uptick in certain populations, we’ve been taking our mobile unit and going out and doing community events in additional to the clinical work that’s being done in those communities,” McDonald said.
McDonald said the city will focus their efforts on the Federal Boulevard corridor in the northern part of Denver.
McDonald said as the city prepares to feel the true impact of the delta variant, vaccination efforts will continue throughout the fall and winter months.