With local participation continuing to decline, health officials have looked for new ways to encourage COVID-19 vaccinations.
Attempts have been made to set up mobile clinics in rural parts of the county, among other locations, but have largely failed to make a major impact on the overall goal to achieve herd immunity in Bartholomew County.
Lower community interest has understandably resulted in decisions such as the one by Columbus Regional Hospital to phase out their vaccine clinic by the end of July.
At the same time, getting the vaccine — and being able to choose either Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson — has never been easier. Requirements for making pre-scheduled appointments have largely been dropped in recent weeks, allowing individuals to just walk into clinics and get their shots for free at their own leisure.
In a quandary, health officials have put together an interesting strategy that might just be a part of the bigger plan moving forward.
On Friday, before the annual QMIX Radio Musical Fireworks show, a vaccine clinic will be set up by the Indiana Immunization Coalition at the Columbus Regional Health Tech Center located at 4580 Central Ave. in Columbus from 4:30 to 7 p.m.
Setting up a clinic at a high-traffic event like the fireworks show is a brilliant idea.
Even if an individual isn’t interested in getting vaccinated, they could talk to health experts and learn about the risks of not getting it.
Just over half of all eligible county residents have received the vaccine, but with new, highly contagious variants spreading, it’s as important as ever to get it.
It might be time to stop telling the public to come and get a vaccine and focus more on bringing it to them.
