Hesperia COVID-19 Vaccine and Testing Outreach Efforts

About the Program

Category: Risk and Emergency Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

​The Hesperia Health Center COVID-19 collaboration was established in 2020 to respond to the emerging needs for COVID-19 resources in the High Desert region of San Bernardino County. As the pandemic evolved, the number of COVID-19 infections in this region were among some of the highest. The City of Hesperia was also the first location of concern with an identified significant variant in the County. This led to an increased demand for testing and vaccination services due to limited availability of healthcare resources in the area. To address this need, the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health (SBCDPH) COVID-19 response team and Preparedness and Response Program partnered internally with Clinic Operations to set up a COVID-19 testing and vaccine site at the Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Hesperia. This collaboration was largely successful in providing testing and vaccinations to the community, with an overflow of patients from the FQHC also receiving services at the site. The program's purpose was to ensure equitable access to critical public health services, including testing and vaccinations, for the residents of the High Desert region. The outcomes of the program include increased access to COVID-19 testing and vaccinations in an area with limited healthcare resources, thereby contributing to the overall public health and well-being of the community.