A mobile immunization clinic is being organized for this summer to bring COVID-19 vaccines to smaller Bartholomew County communities.
The clinic will be funded by a $168,568 grant from the Indiana State Department of Health, county health nursing director Amanda Organist said. Besides smaller communities, the mobile clinic will also provide vaccinations one evening only during the Bartholomew County 4-H Fair.
In awarding the grant, state health officials asked local health personnel to travel into the rural areas to vaccinate the individuals who live there, Organist said. An extra effort is underway to provide the vaccine to older children, who are now at greater risk after variants of the virus were found late last month in Bartholomew County, local and state health officials said.
But the nursing division director understands she’s likely to run into resistance.
“There are still local residents who are leery of the vaccine, or who just want to wait,” Organist said. “There are a number of them who are just now coming in for their first shot. More and more people are seeing that it’s working.”
As of May 20, 44.7% of the county’s population had been fully vaccinated, Organist said. While that was up from 32% a few weeks earlier, a majority of Bartholomew County residents have still not been vaccinated.
“I feel like we still have a ways to go,” Organist said.
Areas that pose a slightly higher risk of COVID-19 includes Bartholomew County’s southern border with Jackson and Jennings counties, according to a state health department map depicting vaccinated residents. That includes the towns of Azalia, Elizabethtown and Grammer.
Another area is in the extreme northern part of the county between Taylorsville and Old. St. Louis, the map shows.
However, there are no areas in Bartholomew County that present a high risk of COVID-19 at this time.
In order to avoid becoming short-staffed, the county health department has signed a contract with the Windrose Health Network to provide the mobile vaccine clinic in a recreational vehicle, Organist said.
Clinics in June will take place in Taylorsville (Tuesday); Hope (June 3 and 9); Elizabethtown (June 10) and Edinburgh (two clinics in different locations on June 17).
Vaccinations will also take place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. inside the sheriff’s tent during the Bartholomew County 4-H Fair on Monday, June 28.
While pre-registration for all clinics is encouraged, walk-ins will be accepted, Organist said.
The one-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine will be available at the June 10 clinic in Elizabethtown and the June 19 clinic in Hope. All other clinics will provide the Pfizer vaccine, which requires two doses administered at least two weeks apart.
In July, other mobile vaccinations will be held in such places as Walesboro and the Rockcreek area, Organist said.
Besides funding the mobile clinics, some of the grant money received from the state will provide additional equipment for the clinics, she said.
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- Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.,Taylorsville Elementary School parking lot, 9711 Walnut St., Taylorsville, *Pfizer vaccine only, call Windrose Health Network at (317) 680-9901 to register.
- June 3, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Hauser High School front parking lot, 9273 State Road 9 (Main St.), Hope. *Pfizer vaccine only, Call Windrose Health Network at (317) 680-9901 to register.
- June 10, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mill St. Deli, 102 Mill St., Elizabethtown, *Johnson and Johnson vaccine only, call the Bartholomew County Health Department at (812) 379-1555, option 1 to register.
- June 17, 9 a.m. to noon, McDonald’s parking lot, 11995 N. U.S. 31, Edinburgh, *Pfizer vaccine only, call Windrose Health Network at (317) 680-9901 to register
- June 17, 1 to 4 p.m., Driftside Home Community Clubhouse, 13540 U.S. 31, Edinburgh, *Pfizer vaccine only, call Windrose Health Network at (317) 680-9901 to register.
- June 19, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., White Diamond Lavender Farm, 9415 E. County Road 800 N., Hope, *Johnson and Johnson vaccine only, call the Bartholomew County Health Department at (812) 379-1555, option 1 to register.
- June 28, 5:30 to 8 p.m., Bartholomew County Fairgrounds Sheriff’s Tent, 750 W. County Road 200S, Columbus, *Pfizer vaccine only, call the Bartholomew County Health Department at (812) 379-1555, option 1 to register.
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