Church-goers at Holy Bible Baptist Church in Somerville, MA. Photo: Suzanne Sausville/WBZ NewsRadio
SOMERVILLE, Mass (WBZ NewsRadio) — With sermons and music in the background, church-goers in Somerville had the opportunity to get the Covid-19 vaccine while attending services on Sunday.
The city partnered with Cambridge Health Alliance to hold free vaccination clinics at three churches in the area -- Holy Bible Baptist Church on College Avenue, St. Anthony’s Parish on Properzi Way, and Brazilian Presbyterian Church on School St.
Kathy Betts, who works for CHA, said the dozens of vaccines administered at a time at smaller clinics still contribute to the vaccination effort as a whole.
"It's always good when someone gets vaccinated, no matter what the number is -- the satisfaction is still the same," Betts said.
Luciano Silva, 12, of Somerville getting the Covid-19 vaccine at Holy Baptist Church. Photo: Suzanne Sausville/WBZ NewsRadio
Somerville Director of Health and Human services Doug Kress said officials are trying to vaccinate people who’ve been hard to reach by meeting them at more convenient locations.
"We had a great opportunity to do it with large vaccination sites but those are not always accessible to everybody," he said. "And this becomes getting it down into the trenches getting it where people are at."
Kress added that the clinic is also aiming to reach a more diverse range of people -- with Portuguese, Spanish and Haitian Creole interpreters on hand.
"We are trying to get as many people vaccinated as possible," he said. "Really trying to reach some of our new arriving community members, immigrant community members or people who have limited English language skills."
A free meal from Redbones Barbecue was also offered to people who got their vaccine at the clinic.
WBZ's Suzanne Sausville (@wbzSausville) reports:
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