OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) – There is growing anger and frustration over vaccine access at the new Oakland Coliseum site.
KRON4 learned that people from other parts of the Bay Area were jumping the line and getting shots before the people in underserved communities who were supposed to get vaccinated.
Two Oakland City Council members are demanding changes.
“For you to drive from other counties, and other areas bypassing the integrity of the system and not eligible to use, and preventing a senior or elder person in our community that eligible tier, shame on you, shame on you,” Treva Reid said.
Those pointed words from Oakland City Councilmember Treva Reid, directed to those who skipped the line recently at the joint federal and state mass vaccination site at Oakland Ring Central Coliseum.
Viewers informed KRON4 special access codes for community members being passed around outside the area.
“The hardest hit not getting their share of appointments, people from wealthy suburbs coming in,” Oakland Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan said.
Now the vice mayor and council member Reid wanting action.
They sent out a letter to the state and FEMA, detailing problems and demanding changes.
Some of the changes include:
- Change geographic area used in the online system; either use zip codes or radius to no more than 15 miles.
- Provide funding for community-based organizations to undertake to sign up residents for vaccination.
- Ensure access to the online system or put into place another more reliable one, then MyTurn.
“We have said that the MyTurn system has not been our turn for our community,” Reid said.
Reid adds having the site a benefit to the entire community, but now, it must refocus on the community needs, allowing organizations appropriate timely access to get those most affected by this pandemic the aid they need and deserve.
“We need to remedy the inequities,” Kaplan said.
One last message again from council member Reid, if you did get those codes:
“Do not show up, you should not show up, it is a code for humanity, for those dying and diagnosed at the greatest risk,” Reid said.
KRON4 reached out to the state Friday for a response to the letter, but no response.
