One of North America’s highest ski resorts takes a unique approach to reach unvaccinated skiers.
Skiers in Colorado who want a COVID vaccine but haven’t yet made time for the quick poke have one more easy way to complete the task. On Sunday, May 16, Arapahoe Basin will offer a ski-in, ski-out COVID vaccine clinic right on The Beach.
For those who haven’t been there, “The Beach” is a slope-side parking area where skiers love to barbeque, tailgate, and revel in the spring sunshine. Most weekends in the spring, the area is ground zero for a darned good party. And next weekend, there’ll be a little purpose, too.
There, the Summit County Health Department will set up shop and offer 200 free Johnson & Johnson vaccines from noon to 4 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. Anyone who needs the vaccine can get one, regardless of residency.
Better yet, anyone vaccinated that day at The Beach will receive a free bacon Bloody Mary, draft beer, or soda from the 6th Alley Bar and Grill.
This unique spin on vaccination comes as health officials struggle to reach skeptical or otherwise hesitant unvaccinated members of the population. And if a ski-in vaccine and free booze isn’t enough encouragement to help get Summit County’s vaccination rate above 70% (it already surpassed 62% last week), we don’t know what is.
