Last week, the Pinal County Board of Supervisors rejected a $3.4 million federal grant aimed at improving vaccine equity.
The board voted 3-2 against accepting the grant money from the Arizona Department of Health Services.
One board member cited the creation of a "vaccine equity coordinator” position, which is required to collect the grant, as a reason to vote against receiving the funds.
A representative from Pinal County Public Health says the grant would be used to educate and provide vaccinations to underserved populations within the county, including rural communities without easy access to vaccines.
Less than half of Pinal County’s population has been fully vaccinated, lagging behind both the state and national rates.
