Residents of Mattapan received Covid-19 shots at a pop-up clinic on Saturday. Photo: Suzanne Sausville/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Mattapan has the lowest Covid-19 vaccination rate in Boston. On Saturday, Brookside Community Health Center was in the neighborhood trying to change that, arm by arm.
The vaccine pop-up clinic in the parking lot of America's Food Basket in Mattapan Square doled out vaccines to the community at no cost, with no ID, insurance, or appointment required. The clinic was run in partnership with the non-profit Authentic Caribbean Foundation.
Dr. Christin Price with Brookside Community Health, said many residents in the neighborhood work two or three jobs, so coming out to a vaccination site during the week is difficult or impossible for them.
"Saturday is one of the busiest days at this particular market. We are trying to make it as easy as possible for anyone who hasn't had a vaccine yet," she said.
Less than 40% of the neighborhood is vaccinated. Price said some of the problem is that many vaccination centers are hard to access with public transit, but also noted that part of the hesitation is that some residents there don't trust the vaccine. That's because of the medical establishment's past, she said.
"There has been racism in healthcare in the past, and that’s on us to correct," said Price.
One neighbor who got the shot on Saturday, Myriam, lives around the corner.
"That helped me to protect the people around me, and protect myself, and be healthy," she said.
The pop-up is just one of ten similar events planned by the city through the end of August.
WBZ's Suzanne Sausville (@wbzSausville) reports:
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