Spring Valley Opens First Pop-Up Vaccine Clinic

With the vaccine allocation exponentially increasing in Rockland, the county is now turning its focus on areas that have had great difficulty accessing the vaccine. On Thursday, 250 Spring Valley residents received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine at the Martin Luther King Multipurpose Center. Another 250 residents will be vaccinated at the center on Friday.

“Monsey and Spring Valley are the zip codes with the lowest percent of their residents vaccinated,” said County Executive Ed Day. “And it’s not for lack of demand, nor is it lack of willingness of the vaccines, but from a lack of access.”

Legislator Toney Earl said that while Spring Valley residents had the highest number of cases and deaths, they also had the most trouble accessing testing and vaccines. “Many residents lack access to computers and transportation needed to obtain this vaccine,” said Earl.

Day and Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Ruppert said that with the state’s loosened restrictions on who the Health Department is allowed to vaccinate, “we will be much more effective at getting shots into arms of those who are most at risk and who have suffered greatly throughout this pandemic,” said Ruppert.

Beginning Wednesday, March 17, the Department of Health will be allowed to vaccinate any eligible individuals.

As of yesterday March 10, 19.8 percent of Rockland’s total population has received at least one dose of the vaccine. This does not include children. “We are doing extremely well,” said Ruppert. “So that means that 64,491 people are on their way to being fully immunized against this disease.”

NAACP President Willie Trotman said he will continue to fight to ensure that residents can get vaccinated. “It doesn’t matter whether you’re young or old, black, brown, or white,” said Trotman. “Covid-19 attacks people, and it kills people.”

More information on the Spring Valley site can be found at: https://www.loc8nearme.com/new-york/spring-valley/martin-luther-king-multi-purpose-center/6126040/