DENVER – A Colorado county’s public health department took its three mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinics off the streets after its staff members were harassed while providing inoculations over Labor Day weekend, the department’s executive director said.
Jefferson County Public Health Executive Director Dawn Comstock said medical staff members working at a mobile vaccine clinic in neighboring Gilpin County, about 30 miles northwest of Denver, were yelled at and threatened by people passing by, The Denver Post reported.
“Additional cars drove by screaming obscenities at vaccine staff and throwing garbage at them,” Comstock said. “I will not put the hard-working public health staff in harm’s way.”
Comstock said a driver ran over and destroyed signs put up around the vaccine clinic’s tent. In a separate incident that day, someone threw an unidentified liquid at a nurse working a different mobile clinic in front of a restaurant.
“It’s the epitome of selfishness, and I am angry today,” Comstock said.
Comstock said going forward, the department will only set up mobile vaccine clinics in places with security and that the department is looking into funding to hire its own protection.
In response to harassment of health workers during the pandemic, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signed a law in May that prohibits posting public health officials’ personal information online to threaten their safety.
