Even as county health officials last week announced new plans to get the COVID-19 vaccine to more vulnerable people, their data reveal stark contrasts in accessibility of the life-saving doses across West Valley communities.
Marcy Flanagan, director of the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, said during a March 2 press conference that after initially focusing on larger, centralized sites and general outreach, county officials are now adding mobile operations at targeted sites to reach those not yet served because of accessibility issues and other factors.
“We’ve been expanding our efforts to bring vaccine to where people are,” Ms. Flanagan said at the public event, which offered on-site vaccinations at a low-income housing complex in Phoenix. “This helps address barriers, such as transportation, internet access and others, which also opens up online appointments at the other POD sites for those who can access them more easily.”
