Dunwoody funding vaccine event for Hispanic, Asian communities

A woman gets a COVID-19 vaccine shot at a recent clinic organized by Hall County Health Department officials and St. Michael's Catholic Church in Gainesville. The clinic was held, in part, to increase vaccination rates in the area's Hispanic community. Photo Credit: The Georgia Bulletin.

Credit: The Georgia Bulletin

Credit: The Georgia Bulletin

A woman gets a COVID-19 vaccine shot at a recent clinic organized by Hall County Health Department officials and St. Michael's Catholic Church in Gainesville. The clinic was held, in part, to increase vaccination rates in the area's Hispanic community. Photo Credit: The Georgia Bulletin.

Dunwoody is partnering with several nonprofits to hold a COVID-19 vaccine event for the city’s Hispanic, Asian and harder-to-reach communities.

The City Council recently allocated $29,000 to hold the vaccination event Oct. 23 outside of the Consulates of El Salvador and Honduras in neighboring Doraville. The event is a follow-up effort to vaccinate non-English speakers after an April effort led to 600 people getting their shots.

“We did 600 vaccines between Dunwoody and Doraville,” Mayor Lynn Deutsch said during last Monday’s City Council meeting. “Then it was a lot easier because you could knock on every door and find people in need of vaccines, so this will be a little more time intensive on the partners’ part. But I’m thrilled for us to be able to offer this opportunity.”

Dunwoody is partnering with Latino Community Fund Georgia, We Love BuHi, Corners Outreach, Ventanillas de Salud and the Center for Pan Asian Community Services to throw the October event. She said members of those organizations will canvass the area and knock on apartment doors to find people in need of vaccination and other health-related services.

Attendees will also be able to receive free blood pressure screenings, glucose screenings, HIV tests and both fresh food and dry food goods.

The city is funding the event by using Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds that remain in its City Supplies and Services budget, which is roughly $685,000. Assistant City Manager Jay Vinicki said the city will enter into a contract with LCF Georgia to oversee the vaccine event.

Further information on the Oct. 23 event will be released at a later time.