'We're A Legitimate Organization': COVIDCheck Colorado Combats Misinformation In Minority Communities

AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - In an effort to get Coloradan's vaccinated, COVIDCheck Colorado is bringing vaccine registration right to your door. For months, they have been going door-to-door to get people signed up for the COVID-19 vaccine.

But when some neighbors in Aurora thought it was a scam, misinformation about their efforts to help was spread online.

CBS4 first introduced viewers to Brittany Xiu, Director of Community Engagement for COVIDCheck Colorado. She goes door-to-door rain, snow, or shine to make sure people in underserved communities are getting access to the vaccine.

"We know that there are still people out in the Colorado communities that need access to these vaccines," Xiu said.

When a Nextdoor post in an Aurora neighborhood claimed people with COVIDCheck Colorado could be scammers, it made their work that much more important.

"We completely understand that there are community members looking out for their neighbors and sharing that information on those platforms like Nextdoor, and we want to be out there reassuring folks that we're a legitimate organization happy to help connect them with vaccinations," said Xiu.

Hesitation in communities of color has been an issue they've seen before. Misinformation doesn't help.

"The mission of our canvassing efforts is to remove barriers that exist to connecting community members with vaccination appointments," Xiu said. "Our teams are specifically out in communities of color and lower income neighborhoods recognizing that those are the groups that have been most likely to be disproportionately impacted by this pandemic."

Over the last few months, COVIDCheck Colorado has helped at least 6,000 people get signed up for a vaccine appointment through their canvassing efforts. They're not slowing down anytime soon.

"We're going to continue doing that as long as necessary," said Xiu.