GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Hispanic Center of Western Michigan has seen interest continue to increase, ever since its first COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the beginning of March.
"People are starting to call us more and more," said Claudia Pohlen, fund development and communications manager for the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan.
In partnership with the Kent County Health Department, the center has opened up its building for clinics and is helping facilitate clinics at Godfrey Lee Early Childhood Center, as well.
On Thursday, 200 people received their vaccine at the Hispanic Center. By the end of the week, the center will have helped 600 people receive the shot.
There's an additional 300 people on a waitlist, so Pohlen is hopeful the center will continue to receive vaccines from the county.
"Because I think we know at the center, that the closer you put the vaccines to the community, the more likely people are to vaccinate," Pohlen said.
Staff and volunteers with the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan help run the clinics, which Pohlen says provides familiarity and access that other vaccine clinic settings cannot.
"This is a trusted institution for our community," she said. "They know they're going to be welcome by people who speak Spanish, who understand their culture. Those two components are extremely relevant and vital for for this operation."
The Hispanic and Latino population in Kent County has been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pohlen said the vaccine brings hope that the community can begin healing.
"We see it everyday at the center with the people we assist, and they find themselves in situations that they've never found themselves in before because someone in their family has contracted the virus or themselves contracted the virus," Pohlen.
► For more information, call 616-206-3150, or visit the Hispanic Center's Facebook Page.
Statewide over 4 million doses of the vaccine have been administered. Both statewide and in Kent County nearly 21% of the population ages 16 and older are fully vaccinated. The state's initial goal is to vaccinate at least 70% of the population (16 and up) by the end of the year.
While vaccination progress is being made, cases are also surging. Michigan has the most cases in the country per population in the last week, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
RELATED VIDEO:
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.