Clinic meets community members where they are, removes barriers to vaccination
COLUMBUS – Franklin County Public Health (FCPH) and the Mid-Ohio Food Collective have partnered to offer a vaccination clinic on-site at the Mid-Ohio Food Bank in Grove City, allowing Ohioans to get their groceries, including fresh produce and COVID-19 vaccine in one convenient stop.
“We at FCPH are thrilled to have such a wonderful partner as the Mid-Ohio Food Collective, who always serves to improve the health of all of our community members by working to end hunger and build nutrition,” said Franklin County Public Health Commissioner Joe Mazzola.
The two-day clinic has already completed one day of vaccines and is hosting the second today from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Mid-Ohio Food Collective located at 3960 Brookham Drive, Grove City. During the first day of the clinic, 56 people were able to receive their Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
“With the large increase in residents having need of food during this pandemic, we felt strongly that meeting community members where they were and not requiring residents to make an additional trip or appointment is our responsibility to increase vaccination among those who may otherwise have difficulty getting it,” said Mazzola. “The Mid-Ohio Food Collective is an amazing presence in the community as well and we were excited to leverage their contacts and outreach to share the clinic details with partners and customers.”
Those who wish to be vaccinated at the clinic do not need to schedule an appointment, do not need to show identification, and do not need insurance to receive the free vaccine. Walk-ins and those at the Foodbank’s onsite pantry to receive food are both welcome. You must be 18 years or older to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Innovative Ideas is a new feature from the Ohio Department of Health highlighting ways providers and organizations are encouraging COVID-19 vaccinations. You can find more featured examples on the Ohio Department of Health’s Innovative Ideas page at https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/healthcare-providers-and-local-health-districts/innovative-ideas.
If you are interested in hosting a vaccination clinic, the Ohio Department of Health has a toolkit for businesses and organizations available at https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/covid-19-vaccination-program/businesses-and-organizations. This toolkit contains a collection of resources vaccine providers and Ohio employers and organizations can consider using to build partnerships across the state to offer convenient vaccinations to their employees and members.
All Ohioans age 12 and older are currently eligible to be vaccinated. Ohioans can find additional vaccination opportunities and schedule appointments by visiting gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov or by calling 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634). Walk-in appointments are available at many providers statewide. Anyone with questions regarding COVID-19 vaccination within the state of Ohio can learn more at coronavirus.ohio.gov/vaccine.
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