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Rochester church chosen by state to provide COVID-19 vaccine to low-vaccinated population

Greater Harvest Senior Pastor, Rev. Sebrone Johnson greets Russell Kingston at the church's pop-up vaccination clinic
Max Schulte
/
WXXI News
Greater Harvest Senior Pastor, Rev. Sebrone Johnson greets Russell Kingston at the church's pop-up vaccination clinic

The Greater Harvest Church in the city’s Maplewood neighborhood opened its doors Friday as a COVID-19 vaccination site.

The church is one of 11 locations that the state is using to reach residents in zip codes where vaccination rates are lowest.

The 14613 and 14605 zip codes are on the list of 25 zip codes with the lowest vaccination rate in New York with a minimum population of 3,000. 

Rev. Sebrone Johnson, senior pastor of Greater Harvest, said he and his team have been doing COVID outreach work since April, so becoming a vaccination site was an easy decision to make. 

“We're having conversations Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,” Johnson said. “We're walking through the neighborhoods saying hello, and reminding people over and over again (that) it's so important.”

Johnson said while pop-up sites are an effective way of reaching the underserved population, these sites shouldn’t be sporadic. 

“How about making pop-up sites stay-up sites,” said Johnson. “(So) that we don't stop until we know that we have reached the levels that are acceptable. It builds trust in the community. ”

Johnson said some concerns plaguing the 14613 zip code are possible language barriers and reaching the youths. He said getting the kids to understand the importance of vaccination is key to achieving an acceptable vaccination rate.

“The young generation believes they will live forever...they assume if I get sick it won't be so bad. So why am I going to go through all of this? To which we have to let them know maybe it's not for you,” said Johnson.

Russell Kingston, 79, brought his grandson, Russel McLaren, 13, to the pop-up clinic Friday. He said he wanted to get vaccinated so he could have a normal summer.

“I just want to go back to doing the things I love again,” said McLaren.

McLaren would be someone Johnson would recruit as a youth ambassador to educate other kids about the importance of getting the vaccine.

“They can say things in an authentic manner that I can't say,” Johnson said.

He said that strategy has been piquing the interest of some teens, and he anticipates a steady flow teens getting the vaccine.

Racquel Stephen is a health and environment reporter. She holds a bachelor's degree in English literature from the University of Rochester and a master's degree in broadcasting and digital journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.