Two independent drug stores are fighting an uphill battle to get vaccines to customers, many of whom are underserved and dependent on these pharmacies.

Diane Klause has spent thousands of dollars getting Public Drug in Upper Darby ready to help vaccinate the neighborhood, reports Dan Koob for CBSN Philly.

She started with 200 Moderna vaccines, than the vaccine just stopped. There are 3,600 people on a waiting list.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health has cut independent pharmacies from distribution in favor of larger providers who can reach more people.

If regional vaccination centers open, the diverse culture the Public Drug community will be left behind.

“There’s people that are afraid to travel out of the neighborhood,” Klause, owner of Public Drug, said. “There are people that can’t travel out of the neighborhood for physical reasons.”

Chichi Ilonzo Momah, owner of Springfield Pharmacy, is trying to whittle down a waiting list of 30,000 names, reports Audi Cornish for NPR.

She lobbies politicians and the Department of Health every day to get more vaccine.

People from culturally diverse communities, especially the Black community are afraid to get the vaccine, not sure how they’ll react, she said.

Others don’t have computer access, or aren’t computer literate. Then there are those who don’t understand English and can’t express themselves.

Find out more about Public Drug at CBSN Philly.

You can read about and listen to the interview with Chichi Ilonzo Momah at NPR.