Vaccine hesitant woman changes mind, goes to Regina pop-up clinic

Many people across Saskatchewan got their first COVID shot weeks, if not months ago.

But some people took a while to make up their minds.

Larissa, a Regina woman who wasn’t comfortable sharing her last name, rolled up her sleeve at the pop-up vaccine clinic at Buffalo Meadows Pool Friday.

It was her first dose. She had been feeling skeptical and nervous about the vaccine for some time.

“I didn’t understand it. I didn’t understand COVID … I just didn’t want to, because, truth is, I’m Aboriginal, and … The government doesn’t have a lot of great ideas for us. So, at first, I was scared with all the historical facts of stuff that was done to us,” she said.

“Plus, a lot of the internet stuff. ‘Oh, the government’s putting a chip in you …’ So, a lot of that went in my mind because you see it on social media.”

As for what changed, she gradually started to take the virus more seriously.

“I just feel like it’s our job as a community to help each other stay safe, because some people can’t get vaccinated,” she said.

Also, the pop-up clinic at the pool offered free tickets to the Queen City Ex for anyone getting their vaccine.

That also helped nudge Larissa in the direction of getting the shot.

“It was a free Ex pass, and I’m low-income … I thought I could help the community, and help myself,” she said.

Pop-up clinics like the one at Buffalo Meadows Pool will soon become the norm for anyone looking to get their COVID vaccine.

The province is discontinuing mass immunization clinics and won’t be booking any more appointments through the government as of Aug. 8.