Indianapolis, Indiana – Marion County Public Health Department is hosting vaccine clinic on Saturday partnering with west side Indianapolis churches.
According to hosts, churches members and MCPHD members went door to door to inform the people in the area accurately for the pop-up vaccine clinic that will take place on Saturday.
“We are providing the vaccine right where our community members are,” said Shanel Poole, Marion Co. COVID-19 community engagement specialist. “For those who are hesitant, this is an opportunity to come out and be informed, to hear from Dr. Virginia Caine, the Director of Marion County Health Department about the vaccine and about the health benefits of the vaccine.”
The event is set to take place 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. MCPHD said Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be available at the clinic. They expect many people to visit the clinic.
“I want to encourage everybody to do like I did: we have to trust. Trust science and the fact that we see now evidence that it’s working,” said Ronald Covington, Friendship Missionary Baptist Church Pastor.
Pastor Covington says they in the clergy have all witnessed the tragedy of COVID-19, and sometimes even more intimately.
“We’ve done funerals, we’ve been in the homes of loved ones that were not able to actually be with their loved ones when they need it, when they needed them,” he said.
He says bringing the vaccine clinic to people’s own neighborhood and offering an incentive of a $10 gift card to anyone who gets vaccinated will make it more accessible.
“We just want to provide a small incentive to those who may not have the gas or transportation to get here to have a gift card and be able to fill up their tanks,” said Poole. “For those who may want to stop and get some ice cream after getting the vaccination.”
Although some are still not confident in getting the shot, organizers believe a decent number of people will receive one of the vaccines offered on site.
