With the spread of a new Coronavirus Delta variant, the municipalities are trying to get the vaccination

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) – With the new more contagious Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus spreading, communities with low vaccination rates are trying to get creative about getting more shots in people’s arms.

At Cornerstone Baptist Church in Brooklyn, they postponed prayer services in the centuries-old building during the pandemic. Instead, they now keep vaccination clinics inside.

“A ventilator? Or a vaccine? It’s not a difficult choice,” said Reverend Lawrence Aker.

Rev. Aker prays that more people will use the vaccination clinics – and it seems it could work.

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The Church’s zip code hit a 50% vaccination rate this week, up from just two weeks.

He’s still trying to convince the other half of the population to get vaccinated, but it wasn’t easy.

“I think there is hesitation and suspicion again and hopefully we try to dispel it,” he said. “It’s disappointing, but I get it, historically, when we think of the anthology of America and we think of the Tuskegee experiment from the 1930s to 1970s, and when you think of other experiments that went wrong with people of color, is that responsible for a lot of hesitation. “

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A 7 On Your Side investigation earlier this month found about a dozen zip codes in the New York City area where less than a third of the population had been vaccinated.

Now, two weeks later, the numbers are rising.

Brooklyn and Queens have only five zip codes left with only a third of the population vaccination: 11691, 11219, 11210, 11236, 11233.

“It’s a small win every time a person walks in and I see them get the vaccine and go,” said EMT Ian Tomaschik, who has vaccinated people across the New York City area. “You know, it’s just another drop of water.”

The new, more contagious delta variant of the virus spread is of even greater concern.

“I think we should really be concerned about the variant,” said Dr. Edward Telzak of St. Barnabas Hospital.

In the region with the lowest vaccination rate – Far Rockaway Queens – there is only one hospital for the entire peninsula.

You have created a mobile doctor’s office on wheels and are driving it to where people live.

“People tend to trust you a little more when you come into their community and offer that personal comfort,” said Dr. Donald Morrish of St. John’s Episcopal Hospital.

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