VA Clinics Scheduled To Immunize Vulnerable Veterans

SOUTH SALT LAKE, Utah – Veterans who are considered to be among the most vulnerable received the COVID-19 Vaccine Wednesday.

A clinic was held at the Hub Apartments in South Salt Lake. It is one of many vaccine clinics organized by the Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs in the community.

“Every veteran showing up today has either been homeless or recently housed and they all have appointments to get the vaccine, ”said Mitch Harris, VA social worker for the homeless medical team.

By the end of the day, the VA expects to have 60 veterans vaccinated who are part of this priority group.

“A lot of veterans we work with have disadvantages and barriers, so we put these plans into place to help reach those veterans,” Harris said. “Otherwise they might not be able to get to the VA to receive the vaccine or their local health Department.”

According to the VA, when the clinics are all said and done they will have vaccinated about 120 veterans.

Richard Bell is an Army Veteran who received the Moderna vaccine, and he said he’s been looking forward to it.

For Bell, getting the vaccine means being one step closer to living a normal life again.

“Once I’m protected  I can go and do things that I haven’t been able to do for a long time,” he said. “I feel like a hermit. I’ve been locked up in my place, and the only place I go is the grocery store – and it gets old.”

After his second shot, Bell said he hopes to make a trip to Florida to see friends.

Four more clinics will be held after Wednesday’s, and then the VA will start the process all over again for the second dose.