LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — COVID-19 vaccines are becoming more readily available in the valley as local first-responders set up pop-up clinics around the city of Las Vegas.
On April 27, the Las Vegas Fire & Rescue set up two pop-up clinics; One located at 823 S. 6th St., the other, located at 2300 Bonanza Rd., where vaccination appointments will be available for the next two days.
The Las Vegas Fire Department is administering Covid vaccinations 💉 today through Thursday.
— Zora Asberry (@ZoraAsberryKTNV) April 27, 2021
Coming up on @KTNV midday at 11:30 a.m. I’ll have the latest on what vaccines are being offered here, and how you can get vaccinated. pic.twitter.com/ROOFyJrlUT
The "pop-up pods," as LVFR Paramedic Dustin Signor calls them, are in place to help increase the vaccination numbers in Las Vegas locally, and in the state of Nevada.
“Our goal is to get the population to 70% vaccinated. We’re trying to get to herd immunity and there’s been a lot of vaccine hesitancy, so we’re trying to get into the neighborhoods with these pop-up pods,” said Signor.
The pop-up vaccination clinics are open by walk-up and appointment. Vaccines are available to Las Vegas residents, ages 16 and up for Pfizer, and 18 and older for the J&J and Moderna vaccines.
“What we’re trying to do is work our way from east to west. So last week we had one pop-up at Freedom Park. This week is here (2300 W. Bonanza Road), next week will be at Cragin Park. It will be on the southern end of the campus at the Community College of Southern Nevada - Charleston, and then we’ll work our way north to where the Santa Fe is,” said Signor.
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Officials say that this is in an effort to increase vaccinations here locally after record low numbers of vaccinations have been reported for the state of Nevada recently.
“We get our vaccines from the Southern Nevada Health District. We have Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson available. Since they got Johnson re-approved, we started using that one today. This pod here is using Moderna today. Technically with the bigger pods, we use Pfizer.”
Signor, with the LVFR, says, so far the turnout has been relatively low compared to before. First responders are hopeful their efforts will lead to more vaccinated Nevadans as the city is expected to open fully, June 1st.
”It’s been a challenge, we’re trying to get people vaccinated. We’re just trying to get the word out, but it has been a little difficult especially since the issue with the Johnson vaccine. We’ve been seeing people start to not get the shots, but we are now starting to see things pick up again," said Signor.
This all comes as the CDC and President Joe Biden announced today (April 27) that the country is lifting the mask mandate for those who are fully vaccinated, and are outdoors.
Vaccination appointments or walk-ups are still available at the pop-up site on Bonanza, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on April 28 and April 29.
