YORK, Pa. — Rosy Goris, the co-owner of Rivas Deli Grocery II in York, says she was not one of the thousands of people across Pennsylvania who scheduled an appointment to get their COVID-19 vaccine as soon as they became available.
“It was something new," she says of the vaccines. "We didn’t know the reaction. I’m allergic to ampicillin, so I was worried."
Gloris says it took seeing family members and close friends die of COVID-19 for her to reconsider her decision to not get the vaccine.
“It was heartbreaking because like one moment they were here and then the next moment they’re not there and you can’t even go to the funeral, so that was hard," she says.
She also says seeing a lot of her family members get vaccinated made her feel more comfortable about getting it.
“All my sisters, all of them have it except me," she says. "And I’m like they did it, so I should do it too," says Goris.
Gloris says that she understands that getting the vaccine is more than just about her, it’s about her community.
“Everything is about the health and taking care of others," she says.
Gloris partnered with Latino Connection and family first health to open a mobile clinic outside of her store.
It’s a way for her to help the Latino community get easier access to COVID-19 vaccines.
“Come out and do it, like here in the neighborhood, so you can walk, there’s a lot of people that don’t drive, so they don’t have to go to the hospital it’s right here," says Goris.