Like the rest of the country, El Paso County eagerly awaited the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine. As vaccines began arriving in late December and early January, local entities such as the El Paso Fire Department, University Medical Center and various smaller providers began implementing their plans to effectively and efficiently administer as many vaccines as possible as quickly as possible. As vaccines began being administered, however, it became apparent that certain zip codes within the County were being vaccinated at higher rates than other. As demonstrated by an analysis conducted in February, the percentage of population vaccinated in zip codes in Far East El Paso and in the Mission Valley were considerably lower than zip codes on the Westside of El Paso. This disparity was commonly understood to be the result of lower incomes in Far East El Paso and the Mission Valley, less access to internet for vaccination registration through the various online portals, and challenges related to transportation and mobility as the majority of vaccines were being administered within the city limits of the City of El Paso.
Frequently leading the charge for highlighting these disparities and fighting for equal access to the vaccine was newly elected County Commissioner for Precinct #3, Iliana Holguin, who took office on January 1, 2021 and represents Far East El Paso from Loop 375 to Hueco Tanks and the Mission Valley from the Bel Air area to Tornillo on the El Paso County line. Commissioner Holguin acted quickly to highlight the need to address the disparity in vaccine accessibility and has since worked to ensure equal access to the vaccines throughout El Paso County, especially in the rural and outlying parts of the county. In January, UMC and the County of El Paso unveiled a new mobile medical unit, which quickly began traveling to underserved areas of the county in order to ensure that all residents had access to the vaccine. During virtually every weekly COVID-19 update given to the Commissioners Court by the Office of Emergency Management, Commissioner Holguin pressed OEM officials as to why more wasn’t being done to ensure vaccine equity throughout the county. Commissioner Holguin also collaborated with various community partners in an effort to obtain vaccines for underserved areas in her precinct, which resulted in UMC administering vaccines on a weekly basis from its clinic in Fabens in addition to the mobile unit traveling throughout the county administering vaccines, as well as the Hospitals of Providence administering thousands of vaccines to Far East El Paso seniors at several vaccine clinics at their Far East Campus on Loop 375. The Emergency Services District #2 became an approved vaccine provider in March and began administering the vaccine on a large scale to outlying area of the county. The first ESD #2 vaccination event was held in Tornillo and vaccinated 800 individuals. The second ESD #2 vaccination event was held in Montana Vista on a first-come, first-served basis and vaccinated nearly 1,400 individuals. The third and most recent ESD #2 vaccination event was held in Vinton and vaccinated 2,000 individuals. While the County of El Paso has consistently led the state in vaccinating its population and has now fully vaccinated nearly 26% of its age 16+ population and partially vaccinated nearly 43% of its age 16+ population, there still remain many residents who want to be vaccinated but have not yet been able to obtain a vaccine. Commissioner Holguin has pledged to continue to push for vaccine equity in order to ensure that every resident of the county has access to a vaccine. To speak with Commissioner Holguin regarding vaccination or other concerns, the public is invited to visit with her during the grand opening of the Pct. #3 Fabens Satellite Office on Wednesday, April 14, 2021 at 10 a.m. at the Roads and Bridges Building, 1331 Fabens Rd., Fabens, Texas.
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