By Nicholas Ibarra | OBSERVER Staff Writer

On Saturday, Dec. 4, City Church of Sacramento and the California Department of Public Health presented a pop-up vaccination clinic at The Salvation Army in Oak Park. 

The event featured drop-in COVID vaccinations provided at no cost by UC Davis Health. 

UC Davis has been working closely with Pastor Mark Meeks and City Church of Sacramento in order to have testing and vaccinations available for the residents of Sacramento. 

Among those overseeing the event were Dr. Allen Hall, Medical Director for the Community Physicians Group at UC Davis and Dr. Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola, Director of the Center for Reducing Health Disparities at UC Davis. 

Dr. Allen Hall, left, and Dr. Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola, right, pose for a photo at the first of many vaccination pop-up clinics being held over the next couple of weeks in Sacramento. (Nicholas Ibarra, OBSERVER).

“We expected a small turnout, but we were pleasantly surprised to see how many people had lined up before the event even started,” Dr. Hall said. “It was a very successful day here for us to be able to immunize as many people as possible.”

According to the Sacramento County Office of Public Health, 46.7% of Blacks have been fully or partially vaccinated for the virus. This is the lowest percentage of any ethnicity in the county.

“We are delighted to be here with The Salvation Army hosting us, right in the middle of the community,” Dr. Aguilar-Gaxiola said. “Oak Park, one of the many hearts of Sacramento, is in need of these services and we’re delighted to be able to provide them.”

Workplace mandates may also be having an effect despite some lingering reluctance surrounding COVID vaccinations.

Michael Anderson, 31, associate for The Salvation Army, says that he is against the vaccine but a new policy was passed mandating workers to be vaccinated if they want to be on campus. 

Michael Anderson stands for a photo as he reluctantly fills out his COVID-19 vaccine registration form. (Nicholas Ibarra, OBSERVER).

“I wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t going to affect my livelihood, but you gotta do what you gotta do,” Anderson said. “If you want to fly—if you want to go anywhere—you have to be vaccinated.”

City Church will also host vaccinations on December 10 from 9:30 to 3:30 p.m.; December 17; January 7, 2022; January 14, 2022; and on April 16, 2022 during a larger Easter in the Park event scheduled to be held at 4th Avenue Park.

Vaccines are open to residents aged 5 and older. No appointment, identification, insurance or proof of immigration status are required to receive the vaccination.

For more information, call (916) 469-4620.