GALT, Calif — People all over the Sacramento region are still struggling to find vaccine appointments but people living in the City of Galt, have struggled more than others because the city still doesn't have any vaccination clinics.
Of the seven cities Sacramento County tracks, Galt has the third-worst COVID-19 case rate, based on data from Sacramento County.
"We're like as far south as you can go in Sacramento," Andrea Johnson, a commissioner with the City of Galt's Commission on Aging said.
It's home to nearly 26,000 people on the southernmost edge of Sacramento County.
"Our city does not have an urgent care, does not have a hospital, we have very little medical assistance in this town," Armando Solis, the Parks and Recreation Director for the city of Galt said.
The closest city, Elk Grove, is almost 15 miles away.
"That's pretty typical as we're forgotten on this end of the county," Solis said.
73-year-old Steve Hansen, a resident at a senior living community called The Galt Place, has been waiting to get his coronavirus vaccine for more than three months now, with no luck.
"They may remember somebody but they didn't remember us," Hansen said.
Even losing a close friend in that senior living home last month, as they were all still waiting for vaccines to come.
"While she was waiting to get a vaccine, she came down, thought it was a cold and she went to the hospital and they tried to do everything they could and it was too late to do anything," he said.
The Commission on Aging says the community is filled with a large elderly population, many of who do not drive or know how to use a computer.
"They don't have the technology and the ones that do know how to use the technology don't have a place to go here in town, there's no vaccination clinics here!" Johnson said.
A Sacramento County spokesperson told ABC10 they're still dealing with a limited supply.
"Currently, we are working to find a medical provider partner in Galt who has authorization from the State to administer vaccines and oversee the clinic on a consistent basis for a weekly vaccination site," Brenda Bongiorno, a spokesperson for Sacramento County said. "It has been difficult to find a medical provider so we are also working with our other partners to see if they can support on a consistent basis in Galt."
That's where Solis comes in.
"I will fight every week for our citizens here," he said.
He's the city's parks and rec director, which's been running the city's only testing site for the entire pandemic.
"We have to be that squeaky wheel to make sure we're getting what we need for our citizens," he said.
But after months of pushing and being that squeaky wheel in Sacramento County's ear, Solis just learned that the city will finally get a pop-up clinic on April 18 with 1000 doses to be held at the Galt Market Grounds.
"Better late than never," Hansen said.
And it doesn't end there. The Commission on Aging has partnered with the Consumnes Fire Department to bring mobile vaccine clinics to all nine senior living communities in Galt every day of the week starting April 19. Robert Jenkins, a resident at The Galt Place already signed up with Hansen.
"I'm ecstatic about it!" Jenkins said. "We all live in one building, the same inside of a building so we all need it."
Solis says his work is far from over because he is still pushing for a more permanent option.
If you are a senior living in Galt and you would like to receive the Johnson and Johnson vaccine at your home from the Consumnes Fire Department, you can call (209) 366-7180 or email galtpandr@cityofgalt.org to schedule your appointment.
Solis says his team is still working on how they plan to sign people up for the 1,000 dose pop-up clinic at the Galt Market Grounds and plan to release that information next week.
