ORLANDO, Fla. — Hundreds of vaccines went into arms Saturday at McCoy Elementary School as the parking lot opened to help increase COVID-19 vaccine access to more of the Orlando community. 

Florida House Representative Daisy Morales (D-District 48), along with the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association, partnered on the pop-up vaccine event with 700 Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses.

 “We let our Asian communities know that we are not ignored because they are underserved in their community,” Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association President Andrew Jeng said. “We, and our government, really care about us. We’ll be able to come out and feel more comfortable.”

Jeng and Morales said they want all segments of Orlando’s population to be able to get the vaccine. 

“We make it accessible and easy, not with barriers or challenges because I know we have our seniors, we have language barriers,” said Morales said. “They’re coming to a community that they know and that is here to open their arms to allow them to receive what they need, which is the COVID vaccine."

In light of recent attacks on the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities nationwide, it’s especially important to come together as one, Morales and Jeng said.

Many people coming through the line at the vaccination pop-up site said they feel a dose of hope spreading, too.

“I feel better," Nelson Sun said after receiving his vaccine Saturday with family members beside him. 

Jeng said he hopes more pop-up vaccination like Saturday’s will be planned.

“For today, 700 vaccines. I don’t think it’s enough, just for some small portion of our Asian community, for everybody,” Jeng said. “So we’re looking forward to having more events in the future in different areas.”