CHULA VISTA, Calif. (Border Report) — Hugo came straight from the Tijuana airport, crossed the border and arrived at a strip mall not far from the border hoping to get his COVID-19 booster shot.
Unfortunately, the Mexico City resident was a week shy of the six-month interval required between the second vaccine and the booster.
“By a week I couldn’t get vaccinated, I’ll just have to wait,” Hugo said in Spanish.
Hugo is one of hundreds of people from Mexico who are making the trek north of the border looking to get their COVID-19 booster shots.
They are showing up at pharmacies such as Lyons Pharmacy in Chula Vista, nestled between a taco shop and a clothing store.
“Ten minutes, so it was pretty quick,” said Jorge, who along with his family came from Tijuana to get their booster shots.
“I hope people will understand the idea of this vaccine,” he said
Jorge told Border Report he hopes people understand why he and many others are coming north of the border for the booster shot, which is not readily available in Mexico.
“One year ago my grandfather passed away from covid so that’s why we all got the vaccine.”
A manager at the pharmacy said he didn’t know how many people from Mexico they had vaccinated.
He did say ever since the Omicron variant was discovered, more and more people have been seeking a booster shot including dozens per day from south of the border.
