Wake County and WakeMed team up with a church for a Latino vaccine clinic

Ben Sessoms
·2 min read

Over 200 people, mostly Latino, signed up to receive a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Saturday.

The event was hosted by Wake County and WakeMed at the North Carolina United Methodist conference building in Garner.

La Semilla, a church in Durham, collaborated with the county and WakeMed to reach out to Hispanic people in the community.

La Semilla Pastor Edgard Millan said more than 210 people signed up to receive a dose at Saturday’s event, though only 200 doses were available. WakeMed officials at the event said they expected all of the doses to be used.

“This pandemic has turned the world upside down, and those living in the margins of society have been affected more severely,” Millan said. “Seeing people actually getting the shot is very encouraging.”

According to the most recent data from the state Department of Health and Human Services, just over 3% of first doses administered in Wake County have been for Hispanic people.

“One of the communities that has the lowest percentage for vaccinations is the Latino community,” said Dr. Lucia Reyes, a WakeMed physician who helped organize the event. “That’s why we’re making these efforts and reaching out and trying to get them vaccinated.”

Millan said La Semilla is hoping to continue hosting vaccination events for the Latino community at least every other week.

Monica Gabrielli is a caretaker in Raleigh who received her first dose of the vaccine on Saturday.

“We are proud to have the vaccine,” Gabrielli, 56, said.

She said the vaccine is key to protecting the community.

“When I go to any place,” Gabrielli said. “I need to be protected. When I am protected … I am protecting everyone.”

Millan said there is hesitation in the Latino community especially in recent years with the political landscape and the discrimination against immigrants.

“It really makes a difference when Wake County or Durham County or WakeMed or Duke Health makes a decisive effort to make sure they reach those marginalized communities,” Millan said.