El Paso County rural communities to have access to vaccines by mid-to-late February

EL PASO, Texas -- Residents who live in rural parts of El Paso County could have access to Covid-19 vaccines by mid-or-late February.

A spokesman for University Medical Center told ABC-7 plans are in the works to have their new mobile unit clinic out to rural parts of the county by that time. The clinic has just been certified, but a full staff still needs to be hired.

"(Staff) still have to through emergency training with patients, and emergency training having to do with the vehicle itself," said Ryan Mielke, UMC spokesman.

UMC is working with county commissioners like Commissioner Iliana Holguin, who represents the mission valley area and a majority of far east El Paso.

"The whole purpose of (the clinic) is to travel to the outlying areas in the county to make sure that people have access to the vaccines in those areas," Holguin said. "Because we recognize that there are folks who can't come into town into one of the big hubs."

Holguin said transportation, age, and technology are some of the challenges constituents in her area face.

“My staff has helped residents from our precinct register, who don't have access to a computer or internet, or maybe just aren't sure how to go about registering.” 

The biggest problem right now, the county relies on vaccine supply from the state, who relies on the supply given from the federal government.

“We just don't have the actual units of vaccines," Holguin said. "And I think that's the biggest frustration for all of us.” 

If you'd like to apply to for UMC's clinic, click here.