UPDATE (Jan. 21):
The Indiana Department of Health has cancelled the pop-up COVID-19 vaccine clinic that was supposed to take place in South Bend this weekend.
St. Joseph County Health Officer Dr. Bob Einterz said state officials notified the county of the closure Wednesday night.
Einterz said he wasn’t told why the clinic was cancelled, but he “wouldn’t be surprised” if it was because the state received fewer vaccine doses than it was expecting.
At the state COVID-19 briefing on Thursday, Indiana Department of Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Lindsay Weaver said the lack of a national stockpile had affected Indiana’s vaccine rollout.
Einterz said he doesn’t know whether the pop-up clinic will be rescheduled.
UPDATE (Jan. 20):
At the St. Joseph County Board of Health meeting on Jan. 20, County Health Officer Dr. Bob Einterz said sign-ups for the Ivy Tech pop-up clinic should begin Thursday, Jan. 21. He said he's still receiving information from the state, but those eligible should be able to make appointments using the state's online registry starting Thursday. As of Wednesday evening, the clinic has yet to appear on the state's vaccine map.
PREVIOUS POST (Jan. 19):
The Indiana Department of Health and the Department of Homeland Security will open a pop-up COVID-19 vaccine clinic in South Bend this weekend, with 1,200 doses available over two days.
St. Joseph County Health Officer Dr. Bob Einterz said the state likely received a small increase in its allotment of doses, and is opening the clinic to ensure those extra shots make it into people’s arms.
“It’s difficult for any of our systems that currently exist to double [their] output on a weekend," Einterz said. "This is one way to ensure all doses that the state has received will be given to individuals.”
Einterz said the county is still receiving updates from IDOH and Homeland Security, but the clinic should be located at Ivy Tech’s South Bend campus. He said it will be open Saturday and Sunday, with 600 doses available per day.
Appointments can be made by calling Indiana 211 or by using the state’s online registry, though the site hasn’t appeared on the state's vaccine map yet. Eligibility is still for healthcare workers, first responders and individuals over age 70.
As of Jan. 18, three HealthLinc sites in St. Joseph County are also offering the COVID-19 vaccine – two in South Bend and one in Mishawaka. You can request an appointment using this form.
Contact Gemma atgdicarlo@wvpe.orgor follow her on Twitter at@gemma_dicarlo.
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