LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — As new cases remain high in Arkansas, there's no reason to back off the effort to get people vaccinated.
Healthcare professionals say when it comes to those still holding out, they've seen more success in bringing the vaccine to them.
That's why University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences has been giving the COVID-19 vaccine in the emergency department since June.
Dr. Carly Eastin, UAMS Emergency Physician, said the goal is to provide more access to people who may not have had the chance to get vaccinated.
"A lot of times in the ER we feel like we may not be making a difference for each patient, but if we're giving a shot, we really feel like we're making a difference for that patient," she said.
It's a place known for its high pace atmosphere and a spot people turn to in times of crisis.
But behind UAMS's emergency department doors, Eastin said doctors are not only helping patient's with their immediate health problems, but also protecting them from possible risks when it comes to the coronavirus.
"In early June, when we saw that Arkansas vaccination rates were pretty low, we thought maybe we could utilize the ED to get people who otherwise don't have access to healthcare, the vaccination," she said.
Since then, UAMS has given 137 vaccines to patients who came through their ER doors, but Eastin said it's not about the numbers, it's about the impact.
"At least by the end of May, the people that really wanted the vaccine had already had it so we had to go to patients, rather than having them wait to come to us," she said.
It wasn't always physicians, like Eastin, questioning patients about their vaccination status.
First-year medical students, like Luke Lefler and Kikko Haydar, also helped in this effort.
"Being able to help, kind of on the frontline, with the pandemic. We hopped right on when we got the opportunity to jump in," Lefler said.
If a patient hasn't been vaccinated, these med students help educate and inform them, according to Haydar.
"There was a range of reactions, as you can imagine. There were some people that were really enthusiastic about getting the vaccine and it was more of an access problem that were solving," he said.
While every answer isn't a 'yes,' Lefler and Haydar said every shot feels like a victory.
"Making an impact in the population that's coming in can really help in the long-run, even if it's just a few numbers every day," Lefler said.
"Even if it's just one more person, that whole shift that we work to get vaccinated, it feels like a small step towards getting back to some sense of normalcy," Haydar said.
UAMS offers the COVID-19 vaccines around the clock inside the emergency department.
You can also make an appointment here at the UAMS vaccine clinic.