COVID-19 vaccine clinic brings relief to one of SF's hardest-hit communities

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ByWayne Freedman KGO logo
Wednesday, February 3, 2021
Drop-in vaccine clinic brings relief to hard-hit SF community
A drop-in coronavirus vaccine clinic in San Francisco's Bayview District is bringing relief to one of the city's hardest-hit communities.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- In San Francisco's Bayview District, it should come as no surprise how good news spreads -- word of mouth and a bit of social networking. It led to a long line of people social distancing at a coronavirus vaccine drop-in clinic on Keith Street.

"I had been so worried," said Brenda Cook.

VACCINE TRACKER: Here's how CA is doing, when you can get a coronavirus vaccine

It is a bit of an experiment for the San Francisco Department of Public Health, based on facts and necessity. The city inoculated, here, based on zip codes and being age 65 or older.

The Bayview is one of San Francisco's hardest hit neighborhoods. Infection rates stand at roughly 10 percent.

"The city wants to make sure that communities hit hardest by COVID are getting low barrier access to the vaccine," said Anna Robert. She runs the Southeast Health Center, which is doing the inoculations.

RELATED: Bay Area COVID-19 tracker

If your zip code is 94124 or 94134, or if you are 65+ and part of the San Francisco Health Network, the clinic will have 200 doses a day, seven days a week, for an unannounced period of time.

Being here felt good for 81-year-old Lawrence Blount.

"The thing is a killer. You don't know when you get it. You don't even know if you have it."

Sal Alcala felt the same relief now that his mother, Abagai, received the vaccination.

"I was worried for her every day for a year."

Not anymore.

She will receive her second dose in a month.

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