KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The city of Grandview and Jackson County collaborated to host a COVID-19 vaccine clinic Tuesday.
The clinic took place at the View Community Center, a couple miles southeast of the Interstate 435 corridor, which a consulting firm working on behalf of the state of Missouri identified as a “vaccine desert.”
Grandview Firefighter Apurou Johnson helped administer the 300 doses.
“We are lucky enough to have this vaccination available to our community and our people,” he said.
Other members of the department have noticed people having trouble accessing vaccines.
“People are struggling to get signed up, to find a location, to get the vaccine,” Grandview Fire Chief, Ron Graham said. “So many people are wanting it but they are having trouble.”
According to state data, collected before Missouri opened up vaccine eligibility to Phase 1B, Tier 3, Jackson County ranked second among counties with the largest numerical vaccination gap.
“It feels very grateful, for me personally, just to be able to know other people have been able to share in the vaccine that we as first responders already got and other vulnerable communities received,” Johnson said. “It should be something that all communities should have access to.”
