Wichita clinic books all 1,000 appointments for COVID vaccine in 12 hours
Update Wednesday:
The 1,000 openings for a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine were filled just 12 hours after making the announcement, according to Hunter Health Clinic. The vaccine clinic slated for Saturday was open to anyone ages 18 and up.
“The response to the vaccine clinic announcement was incredible and we no longer have appointment times available,” Hunter Health said in a news release.
Hunter Health is still offering the Moderna vaccine to a few groups: those who are 18 or older and established Hunter Health patients, Native American/Alaskan Natives who are 18 or older and their spouses or household members who are at least 18.
Original Tuesday:
Hunter Health Clinic expects to provide more than 1,000 COVID-19 vaccines to anyone ages 18 and up this Saturday.
From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the clinic will be providing the Moderna vaccine at its 527 N. Grove location, which is by Central and Grove. Moderna requires two shots that are taken 28 days apart.
Appointments are required and can be made through hunterhealth.org or http://bit.ly/315fngr. More details are available at the homepage of the website. Bring your ID and an insurance card if you have health insurance. There is no out-of-pocket cost.
The clinic has been trying to target areas with high populations that are underserved and disproportionately affected by COVID-19.
“We must prioritize underserved communities to receive these COVID-19 vaccines,” Community Health Manager Tara Nolen said in a news release. “The pandemic has disproportionately affected underserved communities, particularly those of color. Engaging with vulnerable groups for the vaccine will have lasting impact on health outcomes by improving the long-term health of underserved patients.”
The news release, citing statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says white people have most of the COVID-19 cases, but among people age 50 and younger, and especially under the age of 18, “a noticeably higher percentage of COVID-19 cases is among Hispanic or Latino people compared with the percent of the total U.S. population.”
Officials announced Monday that the Sedgwick County Health Department had administered its 100,000th vaccine. About 30,000 residents have received their second dose, according to the health department. Sedgwick County has a population of around 516,000, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
This story was originally published March 23, 2021 at 9:55 AM.